In addition to our year-round activities, Nauvoo is the location for many wonderful events and festivals your whole family will enjoy. Many of these events have become regional traditions and attract people from around the world.
The City of Nauvoo, Nauvoo Tourism Office, Joseph Smith Historic Site and Historic Nauvoo sponsor an annual gathering to celebrate the full gamut of Nauvoo’s legacy - its Native American peoples, its origins as a river town, its role in the Latter-day Saints’ history, its place in the utopian Icarian movement, its appeal to German immigrants, its contribution to the Sisters of St. Benedict ministry, its significance in Midwest viticulture, its reflection of trends in American agriculture, and its rebirth as a point of heritage tourism. This gathering is a venue for sharing stories that have not yet entered into the standard narrative of the histories of Hancock and Lee counties. The 9th Annual Untold Nauvoo Stories symposium will be held February 1-2 at various locations throughout Nauvoo.
Join with others to honor the Pioneers who left Nauvoo in the winter of 1846. There will be a free continental breakfast at the Family Living Center (located on White Street, between Main and Granger) at 10:00 a.m. and then a walk down Parley Street with members of the Nauvoo Legion. There will be a brief program at the end of Parley Street. Click here for more information
The Nauvoo Orchestra Valentine Dinner at the Nauvoo Pageant Headquarters building (East of Nauvoo on Highway 96) at 5:00 p.m. Suggested donation for the orchestra is $10.
The Nauvoo Orchestra Spring Symphonic Concert and Nauvoo Choir will be held at the Nauvoo Pageant Headquarters building (East of Nauvoo on Highway 96) at 7:00 p.m. Free will donations to benefit the orchestra.
The public is invited to the annual Sts. Peter & Paul Chili Cook-off from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. to taste and vote on the entries. The public is welcome to test all of the entries and go back for seconds for their favorites! Prizes are awarded for Best Chili and Best Theme. Entrants may be teams or individuals and the teams have been encouraged to have fun with their theme!
The annual Nauvoo Fire Protection District Pancake Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt will take place on Saturday, April 20. The Pancake Breakfast will be from 7-10 a.m. at the Fire Station at Mulholland and Iowa Streets. The Easter Egg Hunt starts at the same location at 10 a.m. An all you can eat breakfast, prizes, 4,000 easter eggs and lots of fun for the entire family.
The Nauvoo Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a "Welcome to Nauvoo and Meet the Chamber" night on Thursday, May 16 starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Nauvoo Pageant Headquarters Building. All new residents, visitors, missionaries, museum docents, tourism volunteers and any other interested individuals are invited. This is an opportunity to learn more about the many businesses in Nauvoo.
Historic Nauvoo presents a variety of shows during the summer from May 25 through August 10 watch "Sunset by the Mississippi", "Just Plain Anna Amanda", "The Promise" and many others. Click here for more information.
Memorial services will be held on the anniversary of the June 27, 1844, assassinations of Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum. Joseph Smith organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was a Nauvoo founder and early mayor. Services will be held at the Smith family cemetery in Nauvoo on the corner of Water and Main Streets at 11:50 a.m. and later in Carthage at the Historic Carthage Jail Visitors Center, 310 Buchanan Street at 5:00 p.m.
The Nauvoo Pageant fills the summer evenings of Nauvoo with authentic hymns and folksongs, lively dances and tender moments that share the joy and tell the stories the early days of Nauvoo. Inspired by journals, sermons and historic records of the period, the pageant is a fun and enjoyable performance with a great story to tell. The pageant is held July 9th thru August 3rd, with performances Tuesday through Saturday night.
Come early and enjoy the Country Fair starting at 7:00 p.m. Join in a variety of pioneer games and activities. Enjoy some toe tapping music while learning pioneer dances.
Learn more about the Nauvoo and British Pageant and other activities.
The Nauvoo Grape Festival is an annual celebration held the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day Weekend in the Nauvoo State Park and surrounding areas of Nauvoo. This long-running festival is packed with activities including competitive events, parades, live entertainment and more! The weekend also features the Festival on Wheels Car Show, one of the region's largest open air car shows.
Learn More! See the Festival Calendar!
Nauvoo is host to one of the largest and most impressive car shows in the region. The Festival on Wheels Car Show is an open-air showcase of classic cars from all stages of automobile history. Come see this amazing collection of cars and stay for great food & live music.
Learn More! See the Festival Calendar!
The city of Nauvoo is again coming alive in the Halloween Spirit as it hosts its annual Pumpkin Walk on Saturday, October 26, 2019. This year’s event will again feature hundreds of hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns that will be lit and displayed along Mulholland Street. Many of the Nauvoo merchants will operate on extended hours with specials, treats and entertainment throughout the day. The pumpkin chucker will return as a favorite activity!
