Pope County’s Deer Festival
64th Annual Pope County Deer Festival – Saturday, November 23rd, 2024
PAGEANTS • PARADE • FOOD • FUN
When your county is the ‘Deer Capitol of Illinois’ and the bucks are what legendary trophies are made from, you have to celebrate the opening day of deer season with a holiday. That’s right, celebrated on the Friday before Thanksgiving week, Pope County’s Deer Day is cause for school to let out and tree stands to fill as the quest for prize-winning bucks begins on the opening day of 1st shotgun season.
At the Deer Festival-
Our quintessential hometown Deer Festival Parade is cause to line Golconda’s Main Street as themed floats, classic cars, fire trucks, and marching bands put on a show and throw out tons of candy to the kiddos lining downtown sidewalks. This is a small town treat you don’t want to miss! Held on the Saturday of Deer Fest weekend with the parade starting at 2pm. Your suggested donation of $10 to enter the parade helps offset the costs to put on the parade and contributes to Main Street’s efforts with community development.
Shopping check out the Deer Fest Market starting at 10am and then stroll through the courtyard for a wide variety of arts and crafts vendors. Don’t forget the local shops in town too.
Need booth space at the Deer Festival? Click here to fill out the vendor application online today! Complete the paper application and mail back with your payment, or fill out our online application and we’ll send you an electronic payment link for your space.
Activities Walk down Main Street toward the river and stop by the City Museum rich with local history. From the levee you can cross Lusk Creek on the footbridge to the Oasis on the Ohio marina and see the new living history ship, PTF-26 in its brand new home port.
Pope County’s Deer Festival is always the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
Click here for rules and guidelines for participating in this year’s parade
Click here for a downloadable application to join the parade