July 03, 2025
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Oswego’s PrairieFest to feature plenty of live music, carnival, food and parade

By Shaw Local News Network

FILE PHOTO: The Oswego East High School Marching Band participates in the annual PrairieFest Parade in downtown Oswego. The parade will return to the village's Main Street at 1 p.m. Sunday, June 19, Father's Day. (Shea Lazansky)

“Summer starts here!” That’s the theme for Kendall County’s largest community festival, PrairieFest, which opens Thursday in Oswego and continues through Sunday.

Organized by the Oswegoland Park District every Father’s Day weekend, the festival offers free admission, parking and events for all ages at PrairieFest Park located off Route 71, just south of Oswego High School, and at other locations in the village.

This year’s festival will bring plenty of live entertainment, a variety of food and a carnival to the park grounds and a large parade to the village’s downtown Sunday afternoon.

Thursday highlights include Expo Village from 4 to 9 p.m.; Prairie Winds Community Band concert from 6 to 7 p.m.; and PrairieFest Carnival from 6 to 10 p.m.

Friday highlights include Pony Rides and Petting Zoo from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Carnival from noon to 10 p.m.; Quilt Show at the Little White School Museum at Polk and Jackson streets from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Limelight Theatre Improv Show from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Featured musical acts on Friday will be Material Issue from 7 to 8:30 p.m. followed by the Smithereens with Marshall Crenshaw from 9 to 10:30 p.m.

Saturday highlights include PrairieFest Fishing Clinic from 9 a.m. to noon in Chesterfield Park; Pony Rides and Petting Zoo from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Carnival from noon to 10 p.m.; Tag Team cotton candy eating contest at 3 p.m. and Band Slam from 4 to 9.m.

Featured musical acts on Saturday are Carolina Pine with Woody James from 5 to 6:30 p.m.; Ethan Bell Band from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and Phil Vassar from 9 to 10:30 p.m.

Sunday highlights include PrairieFest 5K and Prairie Dog jog at 8:30 a.m. at Prairie Point Center, Washington Street at Plainfield Road; PrairieFest Car Show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Oswego High School parking lot; Father’s Day Driving Range from noon to 8 p.m.; PrairieFest Parade at 1 p.m. in downtown Oswego; Carnival from 1 to 6 p.m. and American English from 4 to 6 p.m.

The festival will again feature a long list of food vendors, offering choices from hot dogs and chips to ice cream to Mexican, Italian and Polish favorites

For information on the festival visit Prairiefest.com.