By Josh Bootsma
LANSING, Ill. (September 20, 2022) – An annual Lansing tradition, Autumn Fest will return again this year to Fox Pointe on Friday, September 23, and Saturday, September 24.
Organized and funded by LACE (Lansing Association for Community Events), the festival will this weekend continue not only its annual traditions of food vendors, live bands, and a local marketplace, but also its tradition of tweaking the fest from year to year to better serve the community.
Two days, other changes
Pat Leck, a director of LACE, said the reason to cut the fest to two days is due to volunteer shortages on Sunday, the traditional third day of the fest. “In reality, the challenge was trying to get people to help. That was one of the complaints the LACE people had, is we can’t get enough people to help out with it,” she said. “We’ll see how this works out. If it works out ok, we may continue with it, but if not, we may be bringing back the three-day fest.”
Besides shortening the fest, moving the marketplace area will be another change at this year’s Autumn Fest. After experimenting with placing the marketplace area north of the stage along Randolph Street last year, LACE is moving the area back to Henry Street where it has been in years prior.
“It didn’t work out well for [the vendors] back there, the exposure and everything else, so we brought them back up here [near the Fox Pointe main entrance],” Leck said.
Raffle prizes
Raffle tickets will be for sale near the main entrance of Fox Pointe. Tickets are $20 each. The winners will be announced on Saturday night. Prizes are listed below:
- 1st place: $10,000
- 2nd place: $2,500
- 3rd place: $1,000
- 4th place: $500
- 5th place: $250
Autumn Fest schedule
The full Autumn Fest schedule for Friday and Saturday is below, as found on LACE’s website:
Friday, September 23, 2022
- 4 p.m. Fest Grounds Open
- 5 p.m. Nate Venturelli on main stage
- 8 p.m. Together Band on main stage
- 10:15 p.m. Last call for liquor sales; ticket window closes
- 10:30 p.m. Fest grounds close
Saturday, September 24, 2022
- 8 – 11 a.m. Pancake breakfast sponsored by Copper Muggers at American Legion
- 10 a.m. Marketplace vendors open for business
- 10 a.m. KidZone opens
- 11 – 12 p.m. KidZone: interactive entertainment
- 11 a.m. Food vendors open
- 11:30 a.m. Military and first responder tribute on main stage
- 11:30 a.m. Bar opens
- 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Strolling Juggler in KidZone
- 1:30 – 2 p.m. Wonderful Wacky Juggler show on KidZone Stage
- 2 p.m. Darren Enloe and Friends on main stage
- 3 p.m. Eli and the Elements on main stage
- 3 – 4 p.m. Traveling World of Reptiles on KidZone stage
- 4 – 5 p.m. Dance Party with Jeff Rosinia on KidZone stage
- 5 p.m. American English on main stage
- 5 p.m. KidZone closes
- 7 p.m. Marketplace closes
- 8 p.m. Latin Satin Soul on main stage
- 10:15 p.m. Last call for liquor sales; ticket window closes
- 10:30 p.m. Fest grounds close
Vendors
The list of food vendors is below, as described at LansingLace.com:
- Ace Catering
- Chicken kabobs, Dragobobs, and jumbo polish sausage
- Boz Hot Dogs
- Hot dog meal, Polish, and beef sandwiches
- I-94 Ribs
- Ribs, chicken, and fish
- Izzy’s
- Paninis, cream soda, hot cocoa, Italian ice, lattes, and espresso
- Skyline Snowie
- Shaved ice snowcones, soft serve ice cream, banana splits, sundaes, milkshakes, and floats
- Thompson Concessions
- Fried veggies, mozzarella sticks, corn dogs, shrimp, and chicken
- Von Vittles
- Eggrolls, wraps, and salads
- Withers Concessions
- Elephant Ears, water, soda, and Lemonade Shake-ups
- Zap a Pizza / That’s a Cake
- pizza slices, chips, soda, deep fried pound cake, wings
Autumn Fest starts on Friday, September 23 and ends on Saturday, September 24. Fox Pointe is located at 18138 Henry Street in Lansing. More information about Autumn Fest is available at LansingLace.com.
Related
- Thousands enjoy sunshine, music, games, and community at Autumn Fest 2021 (September 26, 2021)
