The Joliet City Center Partnership on Wednesday said it would create “a new experience for a new generation of race fans” when Race Fan Rally returns downtown on July 2.

It will be the first Race Fan Rally since NASCAR last raced at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet in 2019.

NASCAR comes back to Chicagoland Speedway with races July 3-5.

Race Fan Rally offers an opportunity for avid racing fans and casual outsiders to get a closer to the NASCAR experience in the setting of a downtown street festival.

The event traditionally was held the Thursday before the weekend races and will be again this year.

“The 2026 Race Fan Rally will bring together racing enthusiasts, families, local businesses, vendors, and sponsors for an action-packed celebration in the heart of downtown Joliet,” stated a news release from the City Center Partnership.

“Attendees can expect live entertainment, interactive experiences, special appearances, food vendors, and activities designed to celebrate Joliet’s deep-rooted racing culture.,” the release states.

The City Center Partnership is organizing the event in partnership with a Race Fan Rally Committee and the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

“This is not just bringing back an event,” Emmanuel Lopez, executive director of the Joliet City Center Partnership, said in the release. “It’s about creating a new experience for a new generation of race fans while continuing to showcase everything downtown Joliet has to offer.”

Downtown has changed since the last Race Fan Rally.

Joliet in April opened its new City Square, located across from the Rialto Square Theatre on the site of a former parking lot where the main entertainment stage was set up for past Race Fan Rallies.

The Square includes its own stage as well as artificial turf, seating areas, and other features that will be new to attendees.