Fall Fest

Mt. Vernon Festivals, Inc. > Fall Fest

2025 Dates: September 26 & 27

Get ready for the highlight of the fall season in Mt. Vernon – the Mt. Vernon Fall Fest! Taking place during the last weekend of September, this beloved festival transforms the heart of downtown Mt. Vernon into a vibrant celebration for the whole community.

Music fills the air throughout the festival with live performances that cater to every taste. Families can enjoy the Kid Zone, where young ones can indulge in activities and games designed just for them. Car enthusiasts won’t want to miss the Cruise In, featuring classic cars and hot rods on display for all to admire.

Stroll through the bustling Vendors Marketplace, where local artisans and vendors showcase their crafts, unique products, and seasonal delights. The Food Court is a culinary paradise offering a tempting array of delicious eats and treats, ensuring there’s something to satisfy every craving.

The highlight of the weekend is the spectacular parade with over 100 entries, featuring colorful floats, marching bands, community groups, and more. It’s a procession that brings together the spirit and pride of Mt. Vernon, drawing cheers and applause from the thousands who line the streets.

Best of all, Mt. Vernon Fall Fest is a community celebration that’s accessible to all, with free parking and admission. As the largest event of the year, it attracts thousands of visitors from near and far, creating a festive atmosphere that you won’t want to miss.

Mark your calendars for September 26th & 27th and join us downtown for a weekend filled with music, laughter, great food, and unforgettable memories at Mt. Vernon Fall Fest. It’s a celebration of community spirit and a true showcase of everything we love about our vibrant city. We look forward to seeing you there!

King Kaiju at Mt. Vernon Fall Fest

Friday, September 26th @ 5:15 PM

King Kaiju is a four piece Alt-Rock band from Western Kentucky rampaging through the airwaves with their unique rock sound. From the heavy rock riffs, psychedelic vibes, and funk energy, King Kaiju will leave you with an experience you’ll want to capture again. The 2024/2025 WKMS Battle of the Band Finalists have two EPs released (“Blue” and “Red”) on all streaming services and are currently working on their first LP “Yellow” recording.

King Kaiju consists of Morgan McCall, Colton Burge, Shaun Brown, and Ryan Gilchrist. Performing original music and covers from artists such as Pink Floyd, OutKast, Dolly Parton, Peter Gabriel etc.

E5C4P3 - The Journey Tribute at Mt. Vernon Fall Fest

Friday, September 26th @ 8:00 PM

E5C4P3 was formed in June of 1993. From that year through 1999 E5C4P3 traveled nationwide and paid tribute to one of rock history’s most beloved bands performing for tens of thousands of fans.

E5C4P3 is still known today as the original and best Journey tribute band to ever exist. In 1999 E5C4P3 went on hiatus and the world was suddenly filled with multiple Journey tributes trying to fill the void that E5C4P3 left behind. In 2008, E5C4P3 was reformed to recreate the magic of a Journey concert like no one else can. The band covers the music with a note-for-note accuracy that is second to none and performs each show with the high-energy excitement of a real Journey concert as well as visually recreating the essence of early 80’s Journey! Focusing on the ‘Steve Perry era’, E5C4P3 covers all the hits from ‘Lights’ and ‘Wheel In The Sky’ to ‘Separate Ways’ and ‘Be Good To Yourself’ including occasional surprises for all the die-hard Journey fans.

Deaconess Illinois "Small Town Common Ground" Parade

Saturday, September 27th @ 1:00 PM

Join us in the heart of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, for the 2025 Deaconess Illinois Crossroads Parade – a highlight of Mt. Vernon Fall Fest! This year’s theme, “Small Town, Common Ground,” celebrates the shared values, connections, and community spirit that unite our town and surrounding areas. The parade invites regional organizations, schools, businesses, and families to creatively showcase what “common ground” means to them – from hometown pride and heritage to collaboration and unity.

Held in beautiful downtown Mt. Vernon, the Deaconess Illinois Crossroads Parade is a fun, family-friendly tradition that brings thousands of residents and visitors together. It’s an opportunity to celebrate our roots, embrace our neighbors, and highlight the many things that make small-town life special.

John Spicer & Friends at Mt. Vernon Fall Fest

Saturday, September 27 @ 2:30 PM (or after the parade)

Patoka native Jon Spicer began playing guitar at the age of 4 and soon after picked up the dobro, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, harmonica, lap steel, bass and piano. He is well known to Southern Illinois audiences and has opened for such acts as Gary Allen, Drew Baldridge, Lee Brice and many others.

Come hear his original songs, classic country, 90’s country, southern rock and more!

Shannon Arview Band at Mt. Vernon Fall Fest

Saturday, September 27th @ 5:00 PM

The Shannon Arview Band consists of:
• Shannon Arview (vocals and guitar)
• Nathaniel James (mandolin, guitar, banjo)
• Landen Billington (guitar)
• Cole Sisk (bass)
• Oliver Sipe (drums)
• Kendall Scott (steel guitar)

Shannon has an old soul with a love for country music. With influences from Alan Jackson and George Strait to Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings, he brings real country music back to the forefront.

Shannon plays frequent solo shows in the area along with being a member of Southern Grit and Heartland Thunder, BUT this will be the first time his own band has played in Mt. Vernon! Come hear originals, classic country, 90’s country and more!

Saturday, September 27th @ 8:00 PM

David Lee Murphy is best recognized by his massive hit singles “Dust On The Bottle”, “Party Crowd” and “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” (a duet with Kenny Chesney). But he is also known as one of Country Music’s best and most prolific songwriters. He has written songs for superstar artists like Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Florida Georgia Line, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Hank Williams, Jr. and others.

Murphy developed his musical style as a teenager in Southern Illinois. Although both parents were schoolteachers, he was an indifferent student. Instead of studying books, he studied the sounds of such “outlaw” country musicians as Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. He was also deeply influenced by southern rock bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers and ZZ Top.

Pursuing a career in music, Murphy moved to Nashville and spent years honing his craft as a songwriter. He also formed a band, The Blue Tick Hounds, and played the honkytonks of Middle Tennessee and clubs throughout the South.

“I really concentrated on my songwriting”, Murphy states. “I wanted to get better so I could record my own songs.” Several rough demos of Murphy’s compositions, including the song “Party Crowd” caught the attention of MCA executive Renee Bell who passed Murphy’s music along to Grammy and CMA Award winning producer Tony Brown (George Strait, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill and others). After hearing the song demos, Brown, who had been following Murphy’s progress as a performer and songwriter, decided it was time to sign Murphy as an artist to MCA Records.

Murphy’s debut platinum selling album for the label, Out With A Bang, produced a string of hits including the title track “Out With A Bang”, “Fish Ain’t Bitin’” and “Just Once”, which was featured in the movie 8 Seconds about bull rider Lane Frost. Also on that album were the hit singles “Party Crowd” (Radio & Records awarded it most played song on Country Radio in 1995) and the #1 single “Dust On The Bottle”. Both songs have become staples at Country Radio.

Murphy’s follow-up album Gettin’ Out The Good Stuff spawned the hit singles “Every Time I Get Around You”, “The Road You Leave Behind”, “Breakfast In Birmingham” and the cult classic “Genuine Rednecks”. Murphy went onto record two more albums We Can’t All Be Angels produced the hit single, “All Lit Up In Love” and “We Can’t All Be Angels” that was featured in the Patrick Swayze movie Blackdog. Murphy’s album Tryin’ To Get There (the title track he wrote with friend and musical hero Waylon Jennings) produced the Top 5 single “Loco”.

Murphy decided to take a break from recording as an artist and concentrate on full time songwriting. He has earned over two dozen songwriting awards for songs he has written for superstars like Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, Eric Church, Brad Paisley, Hank Williams Jr., Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire and others. Some of his hits include songs by Kenny Chesney (“Here And Now”, “Live A Little”, “Living In Fast Forward”, “Pirate Flag”, “’Til It’s Gone”); Jason Aldean (“Big Green Tractor”, “The Only Way I Know”); Jake Owen (“Anywhere With You”); Thompson Square (Grammy-nominated “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”); Kip Moore (“Last Shot”); Justin Moore (“Why We Drink”); Gary Allan (“A Feelin’ Like That”); Josh Thompson (“Way Out Here”) and Blackberry Smoke (“Good One Coming On”).

Murphy was content writing songs and touring. He had no plans to record another album. But country music superstar Kenny Chesney convinced him otherwise. “I’ve been friends and written songs with Kenny (Chesney) for years,” Murphy reflects. “I sent him some songs for one of his albums a couple of years ago, and he called me up. He goes, ‘Man, you need to be making a record. I could produce it with Buddy Cannon, and I think people would love it.’ It’s hard to say no to Kenny Chesney when he comes up with an idea like that.” “Kenny was really influential in the songs that we picked,” says Murphy. “Over the course of the next year or so, we got together, talked about it and picked out songs. I wanted to record songs of mine that people haven’t heard before, that are new. We wanted to make the kind of album that you would listen to if you were camping or out on a lake, fishing. Or sitting anywhere, just having a good time.”

The album titled No Zip Code, contains 11 songs written by Murphy with some of Nashville’s finest songwriters. It yielded the # 1 single and duet with Chesney, “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” and earned Murphy his first CMA Award for Musical Event of the Year.

Despite all his success as an artist, Murphy always goes back to his love of songwriting. He was inducted into the esteemed Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Class of 2023 along with Keith Urban, Kix Brooks, Casey Beathard and Rafe Van Hoy.

“I’ve had a crazy good time,” says Murphy. “I’ve been really fortunate. A lot of great artists have recorded my songs. I get up every day and get to do something I really love to do, which is write songs. I get to be with artists and the best songwriters anywhere. Plus, I get to record. I sing the demos of the songs, so I’m making little records and being in the studio”