Ashmore Harvest Festival

The Ashmore Festival is making a comeback after 5 years! 

Ashmore's community festival started out in 1979 as a 1-day ice cream social called Ashmore Day, which included card games, cake walk, and face painting. A parade was added in 1983. The festival grew from year to year and eventually became Ashmore Ag Days around 2015. It was a highlight of the year in town until the 2020 pandemic when it came to a screeching halt and momentum was lost.

In 2023, a group of Ashmore residents (and even a couple non-residents) decided it was time to have a festival again. Several things will be similar to the previous Ag Days, but several things will be different as well. What used to be held in August as a 4-day event, will be a 3-day event in October this year with a harvest theme.

Plans are underway (and funds are being raised) for the Ashmore Harvest Festival to be held on Fri-Sun, October 11-13.

Fundraiser: Saturday, June 22

5:00 - 10:00 pm
Ashmore Community Center
(211 S Illinois St)

Activities will include:

• LIVE MUSIC: Sawyer Brothers 7:00-10:00
• FOOD: TBA
• Silent Auction (TONS of stuff to bid on!)
• 50/50 Raffle

Harvest Festival October 11-13

The timeline is still being worked out, but here is a tentative list of activities to look forward to:

• Saturday Morning Parade
• Kids Carnival
• BINGO Night
• Food Vendors
• Bags Tournament
• Softball Tournament
• Pickleball Tournament
• Kiddie Tractor Pull
• Garden Tractor Pull
• Car Show
• Touch-A-Truck
• Chili Contest
• Jerky Contest
• Dunkin' Booth
• Magician
• Cake Walk
• Fish Fry
• Pancake & Sausage Breakfast
• Bike Raffle
• Sunday Morning Church Services in the Park

Festival Planning Committee 

Ashmore Festival Committee, Inc is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization (FEIN: 99-2050355), and all donations are tax exempt. 
Donations may be submitted to PO Box 99 - Ashmore, IL 61912.

The Committee Board & Officers are as follows:

• Kurt Crail, President & Board Member
• Brook Cottle, Treasurer & Board Member
• Tyler Heleine, Board Member
• Jake Johnson, Board Member
• Marshall Reinhart, Board Member
• Jackie Freezeland, Secretary

Other members of the Planning Committee include:

• Ellen Ashmore
• Carol Bradford
• Dawson Bradford
• Bill Edwards
• Heather Heleine
• Destiny Johnson
• Cara Reinhart
• Bryan Watson
• Jessica Hills

If anyone is interested in volunteering or joining the Planning Committee, please contact any of the individuals listed above.