Perennial favorite Festival of the Little Hills returns to St. Charles August 18–20. The festival is built around more than 300 artisans and crafters and showcases the beautiful, historic downtown. Peruse the shops, and enjoy live music, kid-friendly activities, and plenty to eat and drink.
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“As much as it stays the same, it changes,” says Brent Schulz, vice chair of the festival.
For the first time, the Lewis & Clark Fife and Drums Corps will be strolling the festival on Saturday from 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
The Lewis & Clark Keelboat will be onsite, too. An exact replica of the keelboat that Lewis and Clark used in their exploration of the Louisiana Purchase, the boat is usually housed in the Lewis & Clark Boathouse. The display will also include costumed reenactors.
CRAFTS, FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT
“I enjoy seeing the wide variety of crafters and having the opportunity to meet some of the crafters,” says Schulz. “We have crafters who come from as far as Texas, California, and Florida. After you do this for a while, it becomes like an annual family reunion.”
Shop for custom glass, jewelry, leatherwork, pottery, vintage clothing, bath and body items, hair notions, dolls, birdhouses, plants, pet items, and pretty much anything else you can imagine.
There will also be about 50 food booths, run by both nonprofits and commercial operations. There are plenty of options for every eating style, from healthy to not so much. As Schulz says, “How can you go to a festival without having something fried?”
And there’s a solid lineup of free live music throughout the weekend, including Eldraco Price + Freenation, Just in Time, The Biscuits, the Saint Charles Municipal Band, King Benny, Borderline, El Scorcho!, Randy Clemens, Catfish Willie, and more. Dr. Zhivegas headlines on Saturday night.
PARKING & PLANNING AHEAD
Plan ahead to maximize your time at the festival. “Parking is usually at a premium because of the size of the crowd,” Schulz allows. “We do have free shuttle buses from four locations to the festival.”
Check the website for details on shuttle stops and more.
