Discover Downstate Illinois

06/01/2026

BOMMARITO AUTOMOTIVE GROUP INDYCAR TICKET GIVEAWAY! 🏎️

Exciting news! We have tickets to the 10th Annual Bommarito Automotive Group INDYCAR weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway on June 6-7th, and we're giving some away!

Want a chance to win?
👇 Comment below with:
1. Which race day you would like to attend (June 6 or June 7)
2. How many tickets you need (up to 4)

⏰ Entries close Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 8:00 AM.

Winners will be selected at random and contacted via Facebook.

Tickets must be picked up from the Discover Downstate Illinois office:
4387 N. Illinois St., Suite 200
Swansea, IL 62226

Pickup times:
Thursday, June 4 or Friday, June 5
8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Must be 18 years or older to enter.

This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook. By participating, entrants release Facebook from any responsibility related to this promotion. No purchase necessary.

06/01/2026

It’s officially farmer’s market season! 🥕🥬🍎

Stock up on locally grown produce, artisan goods and seasonal favorites from your favorite local vendors when you stop by these weekly markets:

📍Swansea Farmer's Market: Thursdays, 10AM – 2PM
📍Highland Farmer’s Market: Tuesdays, 4PM – 7PM
📍Columbia Community Market: Thursdays, 4PM– 7PM
📍Monroe County Farmer's Market: Saturdays, 7:30AM - 12PM
📍Mt. Carmel Indoor Farmer's Market: Saturdays, 8AM – 12PM
📍Flora Community Market: Saturdays, 8AM – 12PM

Looking for more information about local farmer’s markets? Check out our website: https://www.downstateil.org/events

06/01/2026

Comment your photos below for a chance to be featured in our upcoming publication!

We want to see Fall and Winter photos through your lens! 📸🍂❄️

Anything from pumpkin patches to holiday lights, and everything in between!

The team will select a few photos to be published in our Fall/Winter Tourism Times, which comes out late August and covers September through December.

Comment your favorite photo that you have captured in Downstate Illinois, and let us know where it was taken and the name you would like to have printed incase your photo is selected!

The deadline to comment your photo is June 5th!

05/29/2026

The 56th annual Les Amis du Fort de Chartres Rendezvous is just around the corner!

Mark your calendars for June 6th & 7th to experience shooting competitions, military drills, dancing, music, food, and traders of eighteenth-century-style goods.

This is the largest gathering of its kind in the Midwest. Visitors can try their hand at throwing a tomahawk, buy hand-made crafts, learn about French kitchen gardens, and watch swordsmen duel, taste delicious food and much more.

📍Fort de Chartres State Historic Site, at 1350 IL Route 155, 4 miles west of Prairie du Rocher

Trust us, you won't want to miss this!

05/28/2026

Big race weekends and automotive events are taking over World Wide Technology Raceway in 2026! 🔥

Mark your calendars for an exciting season of motorsports:

June 6–7
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Bommarito Automotive Group 500
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of this fan-favorite INDYCAR weekend

June 11–13
Bloomington Gold Corvette Show
One of the nation’s premier Corvette events returns to the raceway

September 12
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race

September 13
Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series Race

October 2–4
NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals

They really have something for every race fan! Give them a follow and stay up to date on their many events happening throughout the year.

For more information visit: https://wwtraceway.com/

05/27/2026

Discover Downstate Illinois is growing, and we’re excited to announce that we are hiring an Accounting/Administrative Assistant to join our team in Swansea, Illinois.

This full-time, in-person position will play a key role in supporting daily office operations, financial processes, board coordination, and organizational administration while helping advance tourism across our 22-county region.

We’re looking for someone who is:
• Highly organized and detail-oriented
• Dependable and motivated
• Comfortable multitasking in a collaborative office environment
• Skilled in administrative and accounting support

At Discover Downstate Illinois, we promote the people, places, events, and experiences that make our region unique. From visitor guides and marketing campaigns to trade shows and tourism initiatives, our work helps drive visitors to communities across Downstate Illinois.

📍 Location: 4387 N. Illinois St. Ste 200, Swansea, IL.
📅 Resumes accepted through June 15, 2026
📌 Projected start date: July 7, 2026

If you’re interested in joining a team passionate about tourism, marketing, and supporting local communities, we’d love to hear from you!

🌟Send your resumes to Darlene Chapman at [email protected].

05/27/2026

We need your Fall/Winter events from September to December. 🍂❄️

Submit here and comment them below for a chance to get them featured in the Fall/Winter Tourism times! : downstateil.org/events

05/26/2026

We want to see Fall and Winter photos through your lens! 📸🍂❄️

Anything from pumpkin patches to holiday lights, and everything in between!

The team will select a few photos to be published in our Fall/Winter Tourism Times, which comes out late August and covers September through December.

Comment your favorite photo that you have captured in Downstate Illinois, and let us know where it was taken and the name you would like to have printed incase your photo is selected!

The deadline to comment your photo is June 5th!

05/26/2026

Your May through August 2026 guide to exploring Downstate Illinois has arrived! Whether you’re planning a family getaway, a spontaneous road trip, or simply looking for fresh inspiration close to home, this guide is your go-to resource for warm-weather adventures.

Request a FREE copy of the Spring/Summer Tourism Times today at: https://www.downstateil.org/plan/tourism-times