01 · Taste
Discover a native flavor.
Learn why this custard-textured fruit inspires growers, cooks, and curious first-timers.
Meet the pawpaw
A fruit almost nobody has tasted grows in an Illinois town that shares its name.
What tastes like a little banana, mango, and vanilla—and grows right here? The pawpaw is North America’s largest native fruit, with a creamy texture and a short season that keeps it out of most grocery stores.
The fruit gets you curious. The growers, makers, neighbors, and wider Northwest Illinois getaway are what make the day memorable.
Come for the fruit. Remember the people.
One surprising small-town Saturday.
02 · Gather
Meet the people behind it.
Growers, makers, educators, volunteers, and neighbors turn curiosity into a community celebration.
03 · Wander
Make a day of it.
Start at the festival, then follow your curiosity through the small towns and open roads of Northwest Illinois.
Plan your festival getaway.
The essentials, all in one place.
- When
- Saturday, September 26, 2026 · Starts at 10 a.m.
- Where
- Paw Paw Veterans Park · 314 Chapman Street
- Cost
- Free admission
- Live details
- Schedule, parking, and updates at pawpawfest.org
Event logistics can change. Pawpawfest.org is the source of truth for current schedules, parking, accessibility, weather, and cancellations.
Wander
Make a day of it.
Make a weekend of it.
Follow the festival with local food, small-town stops, nature, history, and the next unexpected discovery across Northwest Illinois.
Explore Northwest Illinois
Taste
The Unexpected.
Pawpaw Festival · September 26, 2026
Paw Paw, Illinois · Pawpawfest.org
Presented as a Visit Northwest Illinois × Pawpaw Festival campaign.