Though the 90-degree weather we’ve been enjoying this week may not suggest it, fall is upon us. And come Saturday, October 14, the Chicago Campfire Festival in Chase Park will usher in the season with campfires, s’mores, a pumpkin patch, corn maze, ghost stories and live music—essentially everything you need to dive headfirst into autumn.
The daylong event will last from 2 to 11pm and offer family-friendly and adult-approved fun for everyone. If the littles are in tow, arrive early to enjoy theatrical story time, a bouncy house and tractor rides. Campfires will be lit at 6pm, when s’mores will be available to all attendees; the fires will stay lit until the fest ends at 11pm. Billy Joel and Elton John cover band Piano Man Productions will hit the stage at 7:30pm to serenade guests into the night. Though food and drink will be available for purchase, we recommend taking advantage of the BYOB/C (bring your own blanket and cooler) policy and packing a fall-appropriate spread.
Regular tickets are available now through September 30 for $9 each. After that, they’ll go for $11 or $13 at the event. If you want to tack on admission to the on-site haunted house, it’ll cost you an additional $5. Get your marshmallow roasting skills in check and prepare to double down on fall.