Things to do in Princeton, Illinois

94 events at 11 venues we can name, September 8, 2026 to November 29, 2026.

Listings updated September 1, 2026 at 11:49 PM CDT. Published from a floor check measured September 1, 2026 at 10:00 PM CDT. Dates and times are the event's own local dates and times; the week and month groupings below were fixed at the update time shown.

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Later this month, September 8, 2026 to September 30, 2026

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

• Pop-Up Choir Princeton
  7:00 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Thursday, September 10, 2026

• Charles Evans Scholars Exhibition
  All day · Solley Lobby - Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• 55th Annual Homestead Festival!
  9:00 AM · Princeton · Fitness & Wellness
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Homestead Lawn Event!
  9:00 AM · Princeton · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Bureau County Homestead Festival: BCHF Lawn Event Fundraiser
  5:00 PM · Owen Lovejoy Homestead · Family & Kids
  Rural Route 3, E Peru St., Princeton, IL, 61356
• Gallery opening: Charles Evans Scholars Exhibition
  5:00 PM · Solley Lobby - Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Friday, September 11, 2026

• Bureau County Homestead Festival: Down on Main Street Concert (Tigirlily Gold) + 9/11 Ceremony
  5:00 PM · Down on Main Street Concerts · Family & Kids
  2 S. Main St., Princeton, IL, 61356
• Down on Main Street presents Tigerlily Gold!
  6:00 PM · Princeton · Music & Concerts
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Down on Main Street Summer Concert Series/Homestead Festival: Tigerlily Gold + 9/11 Ceremony
  6:00 PM · Down on Main Street Concert Site · Music & Concerts
  2 S. Main St., Princeton, IL, 61356
• ACP BYOB: Printed Ceramic Coasters
  6:30 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Saturday, September 12, 2026

• Bureau County Homestead Festival: Homestead Parade + Blues Fest
  All day · Main Street · Family & Kids
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Underground Railroad 5K Run/Walk!
  7:00 AM · Princeton · Fitness & Wellness
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Underground Railroad 5k
  All day · Princeton · Fitness & Wellness
  837 Park Ave west, Princeton, IL, 61356

Sunday, September 13, 2026

• Bureau County Homestead Festival: Homestead Festival Car Show
  All day · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Homestead Festival Flea Market
  8:00 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• September Bears FREE Preview
  10:00 AM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids
• September Bears
  2:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids

Friday, September 18, 2026

• September Bears
  7:30 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids

Saturday, September 19, 2026

• Artisan Festival at Hornbaker Gardens
  9:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• September Bears
  2:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids
• September Bears
  7:30 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids

Sunday, September 20, 2026

• September Bears
  2:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

• ACP BYOB: Natural Dyed Silk Scarves
  6:00 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

• Craft Corner
  6:30 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Thursday, September 24, 2026

• River Bend Food Pantry
  9:15 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Community
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• Re-visioning America Gallery Crawl
  5:30 PM · Taplin Gallery - Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Friday, September 25, 2026

• Oktoberfest: Heidelberg German Band!
  All day · Music & Concerts
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Oktoberfest!
  9:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Sunday, September 27, 2026

• Princeton Coin Show
  9:00 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356

Later, from October 1, 2026

Friday, October 2, 2026

• ACP BYOB: Wheel Ceramics
  6:00 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Prairie Arts Center Gallery Opening!
  6:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids
  24 Park Ave E., Princeton, IL, 61356

Saturday, October 3, 2026

• Prairie Arts Center Gallery Opening!
  6:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids
  24 Park Ave E., Princeton, IL, 61356

Sunday, October 4, 2026

• Prairie Arts Center Gallery Opening!
  1:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Arts & Culture
  24 Park Ave E., Princeton, IL, 61356

Friday, October 9, 2026

• Shadows of the Blue and Gray!
  All day · City-County Park · Family & Kids
  North Main Street (Route 26) ​(just north of County Road 1990 E), Princeton, IL, 61356

Saturday, October 10, 2026

• Ghada Amer: A New World
  All day · Taplin Gallery - Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Plant Planet: Two Views of Nature Printing
  All day · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Shadows of the Blue and Gray!
  All day · City-County Park · Family & Kids
  North Main Street (Route 26) ​(just north of County Road 1990 E), Princeton, IL, 61356
• Shadows of the Blue and Gray!
  9:00 AM · Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Gallery opening - Ghada Amer: A New World
  3:00 PM · Taplin Gallery - Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Gallery opening - Plant Planet: Two Views of Nature Printing
  3:00 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Prairie Arts Center Gallery Opening!
  6:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Arts & Culture
  24 Park Ave E., Princeton, IL, 61356

Sunday, October 11, 2026

• Shadows of the Blue and Gray!
  All day · City-County Park · Family & Kids
  North Main Street (Route 26) ​(just north of County Road 1990 E), Princeton, IL, 61356
• The Original Illinois Valley Toy Run car cruise!
  8:00 AM · Princeton · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Prairie Arts Center Gallery Opening!
  1:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids
  24 Park Ave E., Princeton, IL, 61356

Tuesday, October 13, 2026

• Pop-Up Choir Princeton
  7:00 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Friday, October 16, 2026

• Witches Night Out!
  All day · Princeton, Illinois · Family & Kids
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Witches Night out!
  9:00 AM · Princeton · Nightlife & Social
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Saturday, October 17, 2026

• Halloween Parade!
  All day · Main Street · Family & Kids
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Halloween Parade
  5:30 PM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• Monster Mash & Halloween Parade
  5:30 PM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Prairie Arts Center Gallery Opening!
  6:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Arts & Culture
  24 Park Ave E., Princeton, IL, 61356

Sunday, October 18, 2026

• Prairie Arts Center Gallery Opening!
  1:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids

Saturday, October 24, 2026

• Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Show & Sale!
  8:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Gun Show
  8:30 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• Prairie Arts Center Gallery Opening!
  6:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids
• Backpiece Art Show
  7:00 PM · Emerald Tablet Tattoo Collective · Music & Concerts
  944 North Main Street, Princeton, IL, 61356

Sunday, October 25, 2026

• Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Show & Sale!
  8:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Gun Show
  8:30 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• Prairie Arts Center Gallery Opening!
  1:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

• Craft Corner
  6:30 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Jersey Art Meetup (JAM)
  7:00 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Saturday, October 31, 2026

• City of Princeton Trick or Treating!
  5:00 PM · Main Street · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Sunday, November 1, 2026

• Winter Storage: Boats Campers!
  9:00 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Community
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

• Jersey Art Meetup (JAM)
  7:00 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Friday, November 6, 2026

• ACP BYOB: Wheel Ceramics
  6:00 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Saturday, November 7, 2026

• Winter Garage Sale!
  7:00 AM · Princeton · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Huge Winter Garage Sale
  8:00 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Community
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• Sauce for the Goose: Outdoor Art Market
  11:00 AM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Prairie Arts Center Gallery Opening!
  6:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids

Sunday, November 8, 2026

• Walneck Motorcycle Swap Meet!
  7:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Walneck's Motorcycle Swap Meet
  8:00 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• Prairie Arts Center Gallery Opening!
  1:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Arts & Culture

Friday, November 13, 2026

• Christmas Walk!
  All day · Princeton, Illinois · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Christmas Walk Weekend!
  8:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Saturday, November 14, 2026

• Bureau County History Center Holiday Open House!
  All day · Princeton, Illinois · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Christmas Market!
  All day · Princeton, Illinois · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Christmas Walk!
  All day · Princeton, Illinois · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Modena Pigeon Show
  7:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Christmas Market!
  8:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• National Modena Pigeon Show
  8:00 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356

Sunday, November 15, 2026

• Handmade for the Holidays!
  9:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356

Saturday, November 21, 2026

• Model Train Fair & Farm Toy Show
  8:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Model Train Fair Farm Toy Show
  9:00 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356

Friday, November 27, 2026

• Home for the Holidays Christmas Light Drive!
  4:00 PM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Home for the Holidays Christmas Light Drive-thru!!
  5:00 PM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356

Saturday, November 28, 2026

• Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Show & Sale!
  7:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Shop Small Saturday!
  8:00 AM · Princeton · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Gun Show
  8:30 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• Home for the Holidays Christmas Light Drive Thru!
  4:00 PM · Princeton · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Home for the Holidays Christmas Light Drive-thru!!
  5:00 PM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356

Sunday, November 29, 2026

• Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Show & Sale!
  7:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Gun Show
  8:30 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• Home for the Holidays Christmas Light Drive Thru!
  4:00 PM · Princeton · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Home for the Holidays Christmas Light Drive-thru!!
  5:00 PM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356

What Festivals & Fairs events are on in Princeton?

29 Festivals & Fairs listings in Princeton, September 13, 2026 to November 29, 2026, at 3 venues we can name.

• Bureau County Homestead Festival: Homestead Festival Car Show
  All day · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Homestead Festival Flea Market
  8:00 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• Artisan Festival at Hornbaker Gardens
  9:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Oktoberfest!
  9:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Princeton Coin Show
  9:00 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• Halloween Parade
  5:30 PM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Festivals & Fairs
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• Monster Mash & Halloween Parade
  5:30 PM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Show & Sale!
  8:00 AM · Princeton · Festivals & Fairs
  Princeton, IL, 61356

21 more Festivals & Fairs listings appear in the dated list.

What Arts & Culture events are on in Princeton?

23 Arts & Culture listings in Princeton, September 8, 2026 to November 8, 2026, at 5 venues we can name.

• Pop-Up Choir Princeton
  7:00 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Charles Evans Scholars Exhibition
  All day · Solley Lobby - Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Gallery opening: Charles Evans Scholars Exhibition
  5:00 PM · Solley Lobby - Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• ACP BYOB: Printed Ceramic Coasters
  6:30 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• ACP BYOB: Natural Dyed Silk Scarves
  6:00 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Craft Corner
  6:30 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Re-visioning America Gallery Crawl
  5:30 PM · Taplin Gallery - Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• ACP BYOB: Wheel Ceramics
  6:00 PM · Arts Council of Princeton · Arts & Culture
  Princeton, IL, 61356

15 more Arts & Culture listings appear in the dated list.

What Family & Kids events are on in Princeton?

21 Family & Kids listings in Princeton, September 10, 2026 to November 7, 2026, at 6 venues we can name.

• Bureau County Homestead Festival: BCHF Lawn Event Fundraiser
  5:00 PM · Owen Lovejoy Homestead · Family & Kids
  Rural Route 3, E Peru St., Princeton, IL, 61356
• Bureau County Homestead Festival: Down on Main Street Concert (Tigirlily Gold) + 9/11 Ceremony
  5:00 PM · Down on Main Street Concerts · Family & Kids
  2 S. Main St., Princeton, IL, 61356
• Bureau County Homestead Festival: Homestead Parade + Blues Fest
  All day · Main Street · Family & Kids
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• September Bears FREE Preview
  10:00 AM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids
• September Bears
  2:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids
• September Bears
  7:30 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids
• September Bears
  2:00 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids
• September Bears
  7:30 PM · Prairie Arts Center · Family & Kids

13 more Family & Kids listings appear in the dated list.

What Community events are on in Princeton?

13 Community listings in Princeton, September 10, 2026 to November 29, 2026, at 4 venues we can name.

• Homestead Lawn Event!
  9:00 AM · Princeton · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• River Bend Food Pantry
  9:15 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Community
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• The Original Illinois Valley Toy Run car cruise!
  8:00 AM · Princeton · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• City of Princeton Trick or Treating!
  5:00 PM · Main Street · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Winter Storage: Boats Campers!
  9:00 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Community
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• Winter Garage Sale!
  7:00 AM · Princeton · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Huge Winter Garage Sale
  8:00 AM · Bureau County Fairgrounds · Community
  811 West Peru Street, Princeton, IL, 61356
• Christmas Walk!
  All day · Princeton, Illinois · Community
  Princeton, IL, 61356

5 more Community listings appear in the dated list.

What Music & Concerts events are on in Princeton?

4 Music & Concerts listings in Princeton, September 11, 2026 to October 24, 2026, at 3 venues we can name.

• Down on Main Street presents Tigerlily Gold!
  6:00 PM · Princeton · Music & Concerts
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Down on Main Street Summer Concert Series/Homestead Festival: Tigerlily Gold + 9/11 Ceremony
  6:00 PM · Down on Main Street Concert Site · Music & Concerts
  2 S. Main St., Princeton, IL, 61356
• Oktoberfest: Heidelberg German Band!
  All day · Music & Concerts
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Backpiece Art Show
  7:00 PM · Emerald Tablet Tattoo Collective · Music & Concerts
  944 North Main Street, Princeton, IL, 61356

What Fitness & Wellness events are on in Princeton?

3 Fitness & Wellness listings in Princeton, September 10, 2026 to September 12, 2026, at 1 venue we can name.

• 55th Annual Homestead Festival!
  9:00 AM · Princeton · Fitness & Wellness
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Underground Railroad 5K Run/Walk!
  7:00 AM · Princeton · Fitness & Wellness
  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Underground Railroad 5k
  All day · Princeton · Fitness & Wellness
  837 Park Ave west, Princeton, IL, 61356

Where do events happen in Princeton?

11 venues we can name, hosting 92 of these 94 listings.

Our venue records hold 14 separate entries behind those 11 names, so some of them are the same place recorded twice. We show the names.

• Princeton 27 listings
• Arts Council of Princeton 18 listings
• Prairie Arts Center 17 listings
• Bureau County Fairgrounds 16 listings
• Princeton, Illinois 4 listings
• City-County Park 3 listings
• Main Street 3 listings
• Down on Main Street Concert Site 1 listing
• Down on Main Street Concerts 1 listing
• Emerald Tablet Tattoo Collective 1 listing
• Owen Lovejoy Homestead 1 listing

2 more listings have no venue we can identify yet, and are not counted above.

A few to start with in Princeton

Chosen by how many sources name the venue, how often the event repeats, and how soon it is. At most 2 per venue.

• Music & Concerts
  Down on Main Street presents Tigerlily Gold!

  Music & Concerts, Friday, September 11, 2026 at 6:00 PM, at Princeton.

  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Fitness & Wellness
  55th Annual Homestead Festival!

  Fitness & Wellness, Thursday, September 10, 2026 at 9:00 AM, at Princeton.

  Princeton, IL, 61356
• 
  Charles Evans Scholars Exhibition

  Arts & Culture, Thursday, September 10, 2026, all day, at Solley Lobby - Arts Council of Princeton.

  Princeton, IL, 61356
• 
  Pop-Up Choir Princeton

  Arts & Culture, Tuesday, September 8, 2026 at 7:00 PM, at Arts Council of Princeton. Part of a series of 2.

  Princeton, IL, 61356
• Family & Kids
  September Bears FREE Preview

  Family & Kids, Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 10:00 AM, at Prairie Arts Center.

Wider area and nearby

• Wider area: Things to do in Bureau County
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