Rotary GroveFest 2026: Your Guide to Downers Grove's Summer Kickoff
Four days of carnival rides, live music, food, and community in downtown Downers Grove, June 25 through 28
When is Rotary GroveFest 2026 in Downers Grove?
Rotary GroveFest 2026 runs Thursday, June 25 through Sunday, June 28 in downtown Downers Grove. The free-to-enter festival features a carnival, live entertainment, a beer garden, food and business vendors, and a Sunday car show.
Summer in Downers Grove has an official kickoff, and it arrives this week. Rotary GroveFest returns to downtown for four days of rides, music, food, and community, running Thursday, June 25 through Sunday, June 28, 2026. Presented by the Rotary Club of Downers Grove, it is one of the most anticipated events on the local calendar, and the proceeds go right back into the community. Here is what to know before you go.
The Basics
GroveFest takes over downtown Downers Grove for four days. The entertainment area, beer garden, and gates are open each day, with the carnival running all four days and the food and business vendors along Main Street joining Friday through Sunday.
Daily hours are:
- Thursday: 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Friday: gates 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Main Street vendors from noon
- Saturday: noon to 11:00 p.m.
- Sunday: noon to 9:30 p.m.
Entry to the festival grounds is free, which makes this an easy outing whether you are going all in for the evening or just strolling through after dinner downtown.
The Midway and Carnival
The carnival is the centerpiece for families, with rides provided by North American Midway Entertainment running all four days. You will find everything from the Century Wheel and Carousel to the Tilt a Whirl, Pharaoh's Fury, and Zero Gravity, plus a full set of kiddie rides for the little ones.
Ride options are flexible. Pay-One-Price unlimited ride wristbands are available, with online wristbands offered at a discount through midnight on Wednesday, June 24. Each unlimited wristband is valid for one day, so plan around the day you intend to go. Individual ride tickets are also available if you prefer to pay as you go. Ride access requires riders to meet height requirements, so check those before lining up with younger kids. Full details are on the official Rotary GroveFest site.
Live Entertainment
The main stage runs all four days in the entertainment area next to the Downers Grove Public Library, and the 2026 lineup is stacked with crowd-pleasing local and regional acts. Thursday opens with Grungeworthy and closes with the Blooze Brothers. Friday builds to headliner Modern Day Romeos, with Reckless and Valius earlier in the evening. Saturday features Beatles tribute band American English, followed by Whiskey Road and closing act 7th heaven. Sunday wraps the festival with Fearless and headliner Rod Tuffcurls and the Bench Press. It is a relaxed, family-friendly setup where you can grab a seat, enjoy a drink from the beer garden, and settle in for the evening.
Food, Business Expo, and the Beer Garden
Main Street comes alive Friday through Sunday with the food and business expo. You will find a wide assortment of food vendors alongside local businesses, professionals, and community organizations. It is a genuine taste of what makes the town tick, and a reminder of how strong the local business community is here.
The beer garden runs all four days within the entertainment area for those 21 and older, pairing music, food, and drinks in one central spot.
Festival of Cars
On Sunday, the Festival of Cars rolls onto Warren Avenue just north of the BNSF railroad tracks, west of Forest Avenue. It is a longtime GroveFest tradition and a great way to close out the weekend, rain or shine.
It Is All About Community
The reason GroveFest matters beyond the fun is where the money goes. The Rotary Club of Downers Grove directs the proceeds back into local, regional, and global causes, supported by more than 400 volunteers who give thousands of hours to put the event on each year. When you buy a wristband or grab a bite on Main Street, you are supporting that work.
That community spirit is a big part of what makes Downers Grove the kind of place people want to put down roots. Events like this are not an afterthought here. They are central to how the town comes together, and they are one of the reasons families choose to stay for the long haul.
I'm proud to be one of many local sponsors who help make GroveFest happen each year. It is a small way to give back to a community that has given me so much as a lifelong resident.
GroveFest is just the start of summer here. For more local favorites, see my guide to the best coffee shops in Downers Grove and the western suburbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Rotary GroveFest 2026?
Rotary GroveFest runs Thursday, June 25 through Sunday, June 28, 2026, in downtown Downers Grove. The carnival runs all four days, with Main Street food and business vendors open Friday through Sunday and the car show on Sunday.
How much does it cost to get into GroveFest?
Entry to the festival grounds is free. Carnival rides require either a Pay-One-Price unlimited wristband or individual ride tickets, and the beer garden is open to guests 21 and older. Discounted ride wristbands are available online through midnight on Wednesday, June 24.
Where is Rotary GroveFest held?
The festival is held in downtown Downers Grove, with the entertainment area next to the Downers Grove Public Library, the carnival on Warren and Burlington Avenues, the food and business expo along Main Street, and the Sunday car show on Warren Avenue north of the railroad tracks.
GroveFest is one of the best weekends of the year to experience everything that makes downtown Downers Grove special. If you are thinking about making this community your home, I would be glad to help. Call or text Rob Brannigan at 847.609.0570 or visit robbrannigan.com.
Written by Rob Brannigan (IL License #475.164040), RENE + SRS. Lifelong Downers Grove resident. Data-driven guidance for buyers and sellers in Downers Grove and surrounding communities.
