Centralia Summer 2026 Wrap-Up

Just like that, another Centralia summer is in the books. And what a summer it was! Now that school is back in session and everyone is focused on fall events, we can’t forget what a fantastic summer it was in Centralia, Illinois for 2026.

We danced in the streets of Downtown Centralia during six Saturdays of the free Downtown Summer Concert Series. We welcomed Great White, Slaughter, Quiet Riot, Travis Tritt, Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin, Collin Raye, Deana Carter and even more established and rising artists to the lakeside stage at Castle Ridge.

We spent Saturday mornings shopping from local vendors at the Centralia Farmers Market and summer evenings listening to the bells of the Centralia Carillon. We celebrated America’s 250th birthday with a parade, carnival, car show, and various other activities.

Then, we watched hot-air balloons glowing at Fairview Park as one of the largest crowds came together for the 37th Annual Centralia Balloon Fest. 🔥

Sometimes, it’s easy to say there is “nothing to do” in a small town. But when we stop and look back at everything that happened here in just a few short months, we see a different story.

These events didn’t happen on their own. Thank you to everyone who organized an event, volunteered behind the scenes, sponsored the fun, performed on our stages, or simply showed up and enjoyed it 💓

Thanks for the memories, Centralia. We had a pretty great summer. ✌️☀️

Now, we're ready for the Fall activities! 🎃🍂