It's back! And the same friend from last year and I went again yesterday…read more This really is the mother lode of antiques, and many items are priced to move. Our best deals: I found dollhouse miniatures for $1 each (miniatures are usually $$$) and a huge lantern for $3; my friend got a glass domed cake stand for $4. We also found hard to find stuff: she was able to get a Peanuts Belle figure (it's almost impossible to find her!) Plus a bunch of other fun things including a 1930s luggage tag, a jadeite hand for storing rings/jewelry, vintage cooking pamphlets put out by different brands, and more. Again we were there half the day and walked about 4 miles. Accessibility notes: normally I use a cane but this time I used my rollater (rolling walker with seat), which was a good decision because I could sit down when needed, particularly while waiting on long lines at the food trucks. Almost every booth was set up so I could get in/out (only one or two were too crowded), and the bathroom we used was big enough to get into as well. The least accessible space was the dining area in the large white building toward the back of the fairgrounds. The outdoor space is bumpy with dirt, grass and or gravel in various spots so having the rollater instead of just my cane added stability (I saw other people with electric scooters and some with manual wheelchairs, but you might need someone to push you through the gravel, because even pushing the rollater through it was difficult). There are a number of food options; we got cinnamon roasted nuts, maple cinnamon rolls from Hough Maple Lane Farm, and a pulled pork sandwich from Whiskey Hotel BBQ/Beef's BBQ Pit. Tried to eat again at Beef on the Moove like last year, but the line was not moving so I gave up after standing there about 5 minutes; likewise, the girl taking orders at the BBQ truck just did not seem to have a sense of urgency despite the huge line. We did wish that all the arts and crafts people and MLMs were in one area or building, because if you don't have an interest in that stuff you can skip it if you want to. Overall, worth going to if you're into antiques and vintage and looking for deals!

Monroe Cheese Days, how to describe it for someone who's never been? It's a festival celebrating…read moreMonroe's claim to fame: cheese. More specifically, locally made cheese and limburger cheese. Local beer is a big part of it too, but that's not the star of the show (and for good reason because Minhas brews are less than good). There's live music, most of which is fantastic (pro tip: check out the beer tent down by Minhas, that's where you'll find some great music, especially later in the afternoon and evening). There are some fun Swiss cultural experiences to be had from the stage on the South side of the Square thanks to the Alphorn players, yodelers, and accordion players. As for food, the cheese curds are stupid good. Yes the line is long, and yes you should do it anyway. I only wish they'd offer an additional ticket where you have the option to pay an extra $.50-$1 to pair funky cheese sauces and aioli dips with your curds. These curds certainly don't need sauces, but it'd add to the whole foodie experience. A few notes for first-timers: -Get the cheese curds. You can't possibly participate in a Cheese Days celebration without eating these cheese curds. I promise they're the best you've ever had. -There are two beer areas: one surrounding the square, a second at the beer tent. The beer used to be restricted to beer tents only, now you can wander each respective area. -Music at the Beer tent is a must. -The beer stand on the square offers different brews than that at the Beer Tent down by Minhas, so try something from both areas. Don't expect to love the Minhas beer though. -Check out the hospitality tent ahead of time for events you want to participate in. They're free. I recommend the cheese and beer pairing class. It's lead by a Master Cheesemaker.

Should be called Minhas and cheese days. I came up from Madison, the drive was pretty! The…read morefestival was large and hard to miss. It was much larger than expected. I walked in to grilled cheese, cheese curds, cream puffs, and beer. I heard the cheese puffs was where the party was at but I decided to go with the grilled cheese from one of the tents. It was way boring. For a cheese fest, I was expecting something that had a little bit of personality but it was just blah. The cheese tent was ok. You had to fight the crowd to get any cheese and yeah, there was a good variety but you can almost get the same variety from a good cheese shop, such as my fave, Ehlenbach's. You do not even have to fight crowds there. The one saving grace was Minhas and their bandstand. Their beer was cheaper, there was a big band playing that actually made me want to boogie and the people watching was prime. I think I would go again but I would have to for sure rethink the plan. I did at one point refer to this as the Disneyland of cheese, long lines for about 10 seconds of glory.

I have been going to Corn Fest every year for the past 10 years. It has everything that you would…read moreexpect of a country town festival. Friday and Saturday night are especially entertaining. Three band stages + great fair food + many bars that allow drinking on the street + great people and old friends = The best county fair I've been to.

Just love the annual display of pumpkins. I'm always amazed by the creativity of the kids, with…read moreall the cute, and unique ideas. I like that this festival has stayed the same every year, and hasn't gotten over the top, (like the St. Charles scarecrow festival). It's just a fun, enjoyable event that all ages can enjoy. The pumpkins are displayed on the courthouse lawn in downtown Sycamore, on Rt. 64.

I attend this event every year...rain, snow or sun. And, yes, there have been all three. It's great…read morefamily friendly event. The pumpkin designs are very creative and fun to look at. The carnival is good for kids and so is the parade. It's larger than you would imagine for such a small town.

Such a fun little town. Hung out on the square at the local fair. Live music. Great food. A bit of…read morerich history. Fun rides. We ranged from 2-62 and everyone of us had a fun time!

Nice hometown festival. Food, drinks, live music, rides. Good times, of course it can't have 5…read morestars b/c our Chi neighborhood festivals are on a different level...sorry Liberty-thrill! But at least I started this post so you can flourish :)

Sweet! Small town festival done in a big way…read more Everything you would expect: Carnival rides Food tents People watching Free sweet corn Parade Friendly people Worth the trip! The corn was soooo good!

Come here every year for the past 20 years.crafts food , rides and games . Live bands and beer…read moregarden.

Waited in line for food for 30 minutes only to be told, they only except cash or Venmo what are we…read moredrug dealers? Left it don't need it not coming back again

This was really a lot of fun. We got to hear two bands - the first "Wedding Band", was a pretty…read moregood cover band. They all wore t-shirt tuxedos (a little tacky), but their music was good. At 10 pm the headliner came out - they were called the "Cherry Poppin' Daddies" out of Oregon somewhere. The name put us off a little (no- a lot). Their music was what I would call "suggestive" but their style could be classified as swing. This was not what a Saturday night crowd of several thousands wanted to hear. Not sure why Palatine chose them and not a rock band. Needless to say, a lot of people left during their performance. Now, the festival itself was great - Palatine festivals always get a great turn out. There were the regular information booths from insurers, politicians and window replacement companies. The food tents represented the best of Palatine - I had Pad Thai from Siri Thai and a hamburger from Heybeck's. Both were outstanding. Finally, the beer garden was packed. We set up chairs by the stage, but trans-versed the crowds to get beer several times. All I can say is there was no way to get to the beer tent easily. Oh, it was a straight shot. But there were so many people and the music was so loud, in many cases you had to push your way through. The craziest thing was the way they cordoned off the beer garden. The main entry was about a 30 foot long metal plank on the south of the area. There was one other entry point to the east. The porta- potties were set up to the northwest of the beer garden which I think makes sense. But, there was no entry between the two. In order to go from one section to the other, you had to leave the beer garden from either the south or the east, then walk all of the way around until you got there. It was not convenient. But, overall, it was a really good street fest which I will definitely go to again next years. My hope is that the people who put it together take these two points into consideration. If they corrected these, it would be a 5 star experience.

I arrived here on a Saturday afternoon to see Trace Adkins in concert. Neat facility, albeit and…read morelittle congested. Parking was free but you had to drive a mile into what appeared to be a former working field to be hand parked by several people who where obviously hot and tired of parking cars. Entry fee was $6, which is cheap, in my book. They had all the traditional 4-H animals, food vendors, rides and games. The people watching was well worth the price of admission! I adored the small venue for the concert. Grand standing/assigned seats is the way to go! Departing was a bit of a disaster because at 10p at night there was no one there to direct traffic. That was a mess! All and all, a fun place, just plan to go without any time restrictions on where/when you need to be some place else.

30th Annual Fall Diddley Craft Show was a HUGE HIT!…read more Always nicely done, well laid out and organized.. It is perhaps one of the cleanest & most inclusive outdoor craft shows I have ever met... My sister's and I happily attend this EVERY year and while it is waayy out in Belvidere...it is always worth the drive.. Its a festive way to introduce the upcoming holidays, yet another year... This event was held Oct 11th & 12th (held once every year in October).. We went opening day, Saturday and arrived around 2:00pm.... Hours held: 9-5 on Sat. & 9-4 Sun. YES, it was super crowded, but it was a gorgeous day to be outside...just perfect for walking around the outdoor tents where you will find OVER 300 VENDORS showcasing some of the most unique, hand crafted original designs....everything from pottery, jewelry, soaps, naturally scented lotions, quilts, Fall, Halloween & Christmas decorations not to mention your favorite sports team, children & baby items...to any and all things dog and cat related; treats, warmers...candles, essential oils and aromatherapy rocks..the list is endless...its a great way to pickup a "gift" or treat yourself....They can even personalize various arts.... There is an outstanding display of folk art, wood carving, dried florals, painted and appliqued clothing, fine art, small local artesian shops selling chocolates, infused vinegars, jams, sauces, etc...to local designers with hand made scarves, ponchos, sweaters....an array of beautiful wood work designs....Vendors come from all over Illinois including Chicago.... All the displays are nicely organized and "eye catchy"...there is PLENTY of room to walk in between vendors & ailes, so although it is a popular event - you will not be "mobbed" or trampled over...Everyone is so friendly here.... We have ALWAYS found something we couldn't live without (and at times really didn't need), because EVERTYHING is hand made or crafted - you simply cannot leave without finding something you will fall in love with....There are treasures to be found here.... Many of the vendors have business cards ready to hand out - so if you find a designer you absolutely love - many times you can order through their website or phone since they can sell out of items here rather quickly...however, they do "stock" up for this event... The Festival also has numerous outdoor stalls to grab a "bite" while you sit at the nearby picnic tables...They have Funnel Cake stands, Kettle Corn, Cream Puffs, Cheese Curds, Kebobs, Homemade pies and coffee cakes for sale..Burgers, Dogs...something for everyone's palette while satisfying hunger.....You will see SOME kids and strollers here too - fyi. After coming here for years, we have found you can pretty much check out NEARLY all vendors within 2 hrs (or less). There are many "repeat" vendor's here we noticed, so it gets quicker, the more familiar you are coming here... We never pass up the Roasted Nut stand - candied too - with a variety of Walnuts, Almonds, Cashews...Sooo good.... There is a $6.00 admission fee, however, ALL proceeds from shows benefit McHenry County agencies concerned with mental health services..SO, YOU ARE SUPPORTING A CAUSE! If you have missed it this year - MARK your calendar's for next year!! It's a great way to spend a day, support your communities and spend money from some very TALENTED artists....

The fest is pretty large and spread out. Sure, it's free to get in. However, they get you on the…read moreparking costs. They have different tiers depending on how close you want to park. To get in and out of the parking lots can be a pain. The food vendors accept cash or card which is nice. Food lines are long! Be prepared to wait. They had multiple bar lines that were fast. Bar lines also sold water and NA options. Plenty of porta potties. If you plan on attending bring your own chair or blanket to sit on. They allow you to bring in your own food and drinks (just no outside alcohol). Something to keep in mind to keep your costs down. Spread out, but expect crowds. Overall a good event.

We attended this event last year, we had a table set up there for our company (Westway Coach), a…read moreschool bus company. Just wanted to add that we had an amazing time there, the ambient, the music, the food, all was great, we had an amazing time being part of this event.

Good Family fun but needs more rides. Main Stage and beer garden is for adults only this year. Wild…read morewest bbq yum, funnel cake, cheese fries. Lots of vendors. Try out some of the local owned shops, they're great! Nice small local event. Bands are cool.