A warm, breezy day greeted those enjoying that first sweet-and-tart bite of rhubarb pie on Sunday at the 36th annual Rhubarb Festival.

The beloved spring celebration featured vendors, entertainment and activities sprawled across the grounds of the Kankakee County Museum campus in Kankakee.

Hundreds strolled through the paths, gardens and historical buildings in support of the largest single-day fundraising event hosted by the Kankakee County Historical Society.

This year’s festival expanded its entertainment lineup across multiple stages, with performances ranging from solo musicians to the Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet.

The festival also featured the annual Kankakee Art League Show kickoff, raffle tickets, plant sales by the Kankakee Kultivators, a kids’ zone, food vendors lining 8th Avenue and dozens of vendors selling everything from honey and handmade goods to plants and pet treats.

The museum’s signature rhubarb and strawberry-rhubarb pies – baked by the Bennett-Curtis House – were sold by the slice or whole pie, along with jams from Turtle Acres, as part of fundraising for the historical society.

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Volunteers serve slices of rhubarb and strawberry-rhubarb pie during the 36th annual Rhubarb Festival at the Kankakee County Museum on Sunday, May 17, 2026. (Tiffany Blanchette)

Visitors also toured the historic Taylor One-Room Schoolhouse and Dr. Small home as well as the Museum Gift Shop.

All proceeds from the festival directly support the Kankakee County Historical Society’s ongoing preservation efforts. For more information, visit kankakeecountymuseum.com.