The biggest Memorial Day Weekend party in the Midwest returns to Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, Illinois. Forget everything you know about summer camp and prepare yourself for three days of every genre of music you can think of, sustainability efforts, family, community and artistic awakenings at this year’s Summer Camp Music Festival.
1960s country outlaw Willie Nelson, digital funk electronic duo The Floozies, the nine-piece futuristic booty-shakers funk group Nasty Snacks and classic metal punk trio Death Kings are just a shred of the 150 artists performing on the Sunshine, Moonshine, Starshine and Campfire Stages while you camp along the Illinois River. Bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks to share with your campground friends or stop at the bar for an alcoholic treat that you can’t bring yourself. For over 20 years Summer Camp Festival has prided itself on being a “home away from home” for attendees and encourages festival goers to treat the land they live on with respect.
In 2008, Summer Camp introduced the Soulshine Experience— a series of interactive workshops, art galleries, demonstrations and volunteer recycling efforts. Enter the Soulshine Tent and join the “Green Team” by helping sort the festival’s recycling to reduce its carbon footprint and learn more about how Summer Camp is making the festival an environmentally sustainable event. Soulshine is integral to Summer Camp Festival and has only grown since its founding. Hosting interactive workshops that teach yoga, instrument making and mind bending exercises, the Soulshine Tent is where you can connect with your fellow campers and develop lifelong gardening and sustainability practices.
On either side of the Soulshine Stage, artists can display their work at the live art gallery and as another effort to help the community, they can auction off their art at the silent auction to support a host of non-profit organizations.
The Specs
- 20,000 people attend.
- Sunday one-day tickets are $74.50. Three-day GA tickets are $244.50.VIP upgrades are available for an additional $349.50-$1,499.50.
- Check out Fifty Grande’s guide to Illinois here.
FAQs
- Festival goers can bring food and non-alcoholic drinks in from outside of the festival.
- Showers are available.
- There are designated substance free camping areas.
- There is no re-entry for RVs that choose to leave their campsite before the festival ends.
