Macomb’s Heritage Days returns June 25th to 28th, 2026, and this year the spotlight is on the food and the music. Now billed as the Heritage Days Food & Music Festival, the 44th annual celebration fills historic Downtown Macomb with live music from nationally recognized artists, a growing roster of food trucks, and a newly expanded hospitality tent. Entry is free, and the festival arrives during the year the nation marks America’s 250th birthday.
This year’s concert lineup spans genres, from the historic Macomb Municipal Band (174 years strong) and 70s, 80s, and 90s rock from JAB to pop-soul from The Ex-Bombers, funk and R&B from The Midnight Sun Band, modern Texas country from Angel White, fun rock and punk from The New Duncan Imperials, and Chicago R&B from guitarist Joanna Connor & The Wrecking Crew, before a high-energy finale from garage rock veterans The Fleshtones.
Food is front and center. A growing lineup of food trucks and local kitchens will line the festival grounds serving everything from Maine lobster rolls and street tacos to fresh pasta and ice cream. The full lineup includes: Cousins Maine Lobster Twisted Pasta Hillbilly Haven Paco’s Tacos / Bill’s Lemonade Haack’s Concessions Smiley’s Deep Fried Delights Trackside Creamery Sweet Shop Webb’s Cruisin’ USA AR Chimney Cakes & Ice Cream Just Poppin' Lumpia House Paddy's Patties Prairieland Barbershop Chorus The Bite A newly expanded, cooled hospitality tent offers craft beer, cocktails, and seating. Families can also enjoy a classic car show, carnival rides, contests, the Bob Anstine Memorial Parade, and the annual Airport Pancake Breakfast Fly-In.
Heritage Days weekend is also the ideal time to explore Macomb’s signature attractions. At the center of the square sits Macombopoly, a larger than life-sized, 170,000-square-foot Monopoly experience that pays tribute to Macomb native and Monopoly inventor Lizzie Magie. Free and open 24/7, the app-powered game guides players past larger than life-sized sculptures and through interactive challenges, trivia, and real prizes. Nearby, visitors can see the world’s only Living Lincoln Topiary Monument, a 16-foot-tall 3D-printed bust of Abraham Lincoln complete with real flowering whiskers, part of Macomb’s Looking for Lincoln Tour.
As a recognized Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area and National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site, Macomb offers a genuine connection to the American story during the America's 250th year. To help visitors plan, Visit Unforgettable Forgottonia’s new interactive Digital Tourism Map highlights attractions, dining, lodging, and historic sites across Macomb and McDonough County.
“This year we leaned into what people tell us they love most: the music and the food,” said Festival Co-Chair Jock Hedblade. “We’ve booked a lineup that runs from soul to garage rock, brought in food trucks you can’t find just anywhere, and expanded the hospitality tent so folks have a comfortable place to land between sets. It’s still the Heritage Days our community has loved since 1982, just with a lot more on the menu.”
Heritage Days runs June 25th to 28th, 2026. Plan a visit at visitforgottonia.com or MacombHeritageDays.com, and follow “Heritage Days Food & Music Festival – Macomb, IL” on Facebook for updates.
An official program with a complete schedule of events will be published by the Community News Brief and will be available at the festivities and at high-traffic locations throughout McDonough County, including the Community News and Market, 13 E. Side Square.
The organizers would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the generous sponsors whose support helps make this event possible: Pepsi Refreshment Services, Pumo Insurance, NTN-Bower, Community News & Market, COFAC/Performing Arts Society, the Anstine Family, Bougher, Krisher & Clark Attorneys, Pella, Commercial Rental, and Graham Health System.
Heritage Days promotions are being developed in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity/Illinois Office of Tourism.
About Macombopoly
Macombopoly is a larger than life-sized, app-powered Monopoly experience played on the downtown square of Macomb, Illinois. Set on the historic Courthouse Square, the 170,000 square foot experience pays tribute to Lizzie Magie, the Macombborn inventor who created The Landlord’s Game in 1903, the direct predecessor to the Monopoly board game. The game is powered by eATLAS and free to play. More at visitforgottonia. com.
About Visit Unforgettable Forgottonia Visit Unforgettable Forgottonia is the destination marketing organization for McDonough County and the surrounding region of west-central Illinois, promoting the area’s history, attractions, and experiences to visitors from across the state and beyond. More at visitforgottonia.com.
