ALEDO, Ill. — The 30th Annual Rhubarb Festival comes June 3-4 to historic downtown Aledo. The two-day celebration honors the ruby red stalks you know and love, with handmade creations ranging from pies to soda pop.
Thousands of rhubarb lovers will flock the first Friday and Saturday of June to Aledo, named the Rhubarb Capital of Illinois in 2007 by the state's 95th General Assembly House of Representatives.
“Since the festival began in 1991, we have been incredibly proud to still be holding such a unique event every year that brings people of all ages to Aledo,” Aledo Mayor Chris Hagloch said in a news release. “Thirty years later, Aledo Rhubarb Festival is a wonderful community event, and we look forward to continuing this tradition for years to come.”
The festival is free to the public, according to its website, and this year's attendees can partake in rhubarb tasting, pick up some tasty treats from the nonprofit bake sale, ogle at unique crafts and antiques, jump on a free trolley tour of the town's historic sites, drop off their children in the activity-filled Kids Zone, compete in the rhubarb cookoff and enjoy live music at the Central Park Bandshell stage.
Main events will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 3-4 at Aledo's Central Park and the Mercer County Courthouse lawn, with special live bands performing 7-9 p.m. both days at the Central Park Bandshell. Friday will feature music from rock-n-roll tribute band The Neverly Brothers, and Saturday will have music from 11-piece funk-soul-blues band Ten of Soul.
But you won't have to say "goodbye" to the sweet stalks for long after the festival comes to a close. The festival will be giving away 12,000 rhubarb seeds, so attendees will be able to grow their own at home.
Click/tap here to learn more about the Rhubarb Festival.