Francesville Fall Festival

The Francesville Fall Festival 2025 is a three-day community and family event held from September 19 to 21 in Downtown Francesville, Pulaski County, Indiana. It celebrates small-town life with a focus on family-friendly fun, arts, crafts, flea markets, diverse food options, live entertainment, and traditional festival activities.

The area around the event is Francesville’s historic downtown, known for its welcoming small-town atmosphere, supporting local businesses, and community spirit. The downtown streets become lively with vendor booths, food stands, carnival rides, and spaces for resting and socializing, making it accessible and enjoyable for all attendees, with handicapped access available.

The vibe is warm, family-oriented, and nostalgic, often described as "A Small Town with a Big Heart." Attendees enjoy wholesome entertainment including live bands, dancing, and community contests in a relaxed, friendly environment.

Activities and events spanning the festival include:

• Arts, crafts, and flea market booths selling a range of local and handmade goods.
• Variety of food vendors offering traditional and specialty cuisines.
• Live music performances, including appearances by Indiana’s well-known Southern Country Rock band, The Whiskey Wreckers.
• The featured national attraction: the Tunnel to Towers Foundation's 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit, an educational tribute open all days.
• A large Saturday parade with hometown heroes as grand marshals, stepping off at 2 p.m.
• Bingo and Chicken Bingo games for family participation and fun.
• Car show, garden tractor pull, and vegetable contest for enthusiasts.
• Golf cart race with required permits from Francesville Town Hall.
• Fun run and “Jungle John” from Silly Safaris providing family entertainment.
• Fireworks display at dusk on Saturday, occurring between music sets.
• Traditional festival dinners including fish fry on Friday, chicken dinner on Saturday, and pork chop dinner on Sunday.

A rough schedule outline based on the three days:

• Friday (Sept 19): Festival kickoff in the late afternoon with arts and crafts vendors, food booths, kiddie rides, games, and evening fish fry at the fire station.
• Saturday (Sept 20): Parade at 2 p.m.; continuous entertainment including music, bingo, vendor booths, car show, vegetable contests, and a chicken dinner from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Evening concludes with fireworks and live music performances.
• Sunday (Sept 21): Festival winds down in the afternoon with continued vendor presence, pork chop dinner, golf cart races, and final opportunities to enjoy exhibits and entertainment.

The Francesville Fall Festival has a long history spanning over 57 years. It began as a modest town celebration featuring kiddie rides, food stands, a fish fry, a large parade, and dinners, which have since evolved into an extended three-day event drawing visitors from across the Midwest. Its growth reflects the town’s pride and dedication to community togetherness and tradition.

A yearly golf outing fundraising event, started in 2021 to support festival costs, also culminates prior to the main festival dates.

Overall, the festival is a well-established, cherished event combining heritage, community pride, education, and fun in a scenic small-town setting. It encourages visitors to support local businesses while enjoying a variety of cultural and recreational activities suited to all ages.