Annual Nauvoo Grape Festival
Annual Nauvoo Grape Festival in Nauvoo, IL — 88th year, 3-day Labor Day Weekend event at Nauvoo State Park. Entertainment tent $5 cover.
Quick facts
At a glance.
The story
About this festival.
Annual Nauvoo Grape Festival is a harvest wine festival held each year over Labor Day Weekend — Friday through Sunday — in Nauvoo State Park and surrounding areas of Nauvoo, Illinois. Now in its 88th year, the festival spans 3 days and draws visitors with a wide mix of competitive events, live music, parades, carnival rides, and wine and cheese tasting by Baxter's Vineyards.
The entertainment tent, open to guests 21 and older with a $5 cover charge, anchors the evening programming across all 3 nights. Live music acts perform from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with additional afternoon sets on Sunday. The festival also hosts the 48th Annual Festival on Wheels, described as one of the largest open-air car shows in the tri-state area, featuring several hundred entries on Sunday. Daytime activities include a Grape Stomp 5K Run/Walk, co-ed sand volleyball, an arts and crafts show, a flea market, a pet parade, and tours of the Rheinberger Museum's arched wine cellar hosted by the Nauvoo Historical Society.
The carnival, operated by Gotcha Games Amusements, runs across all 3 days with rides for all ages; Friday evening carnival arm bands are available for $30. Food vendors serve loaded French fries, funnel cakes, corn dogs, lemonade shake-ups, ribeyes, and classic fair fare. Pancake breakfasts are held Saturday and Sunday mornings from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Shelter House in Nauvoo State Park, sponsored by local community groups and priced by donation. Bags tournament entry is $40 per team. Most festival events are free to attend, with individual activity fees applying to specific events.
Nauvoo sits along the Mississippi River in western Illinois and carries a long winemaking history dating back to German and French immigrant settlers in the 19th century. Baxter's Vineyards, one of Illinois's oldest operating wineries, is based in Nauvoo and provides the wine and cheese tasting component of the festival — a direct link between the town's agricultural heritage and the event's grape harvest theme.
Getting there
Location & logistics.
What to expect
The experience.
A mix of varietals from regional producers. Start light, work toward the bigger reds.
In , Illinois. Check the venue page for layout details.
Friendly to first-timers — no one is going to quiz you on Pinot. Ask questions, take notes, enjoy.
Arrive early, hit your must-try wineries first, then wander. That's the move.
Frequently asked
Common questions.
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