Catfish Days July 25-28 2019 – Wilmington Illinois

2019 Catfish Days Schedule

HAPPENINGS ALL WEEKEND

🎪 CARNIVAL – With $20.00 All You Can Ride Specials on Thursday & Sunday 🎡

🍽 FOOD VENDORS—A great variety of food

🍻 BEER GARDEN—serving ice-cold beverages Friday-Sunday

All events on the North Island unless noted.

THURSDAY—TEEN NIGHT SPONSORED BY RIVERFRONT LANES
5:00pm—Food Vendors Open
5:00pm-8:00pm-Mini Golf Course- presented by Riverfront Lanes
8:00pm- Far Out Teen Food-Eating Contests
6pm-9:30pm – Cup in Hand Kickball Tournament- South Island
6:00pm-10:00pm -All You Can Ride Night At The Carnival–$20
7:00pm- Teen Karaoke
6:00pm- National Guard Rock Climbing Wall & Obstacle Course

FRIDAY-SPONSORED BY WILMINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
6:00pm – Carnival & Food Vendors Open
6:00pm- Beer Garden Opens
6:00pm-9:30pm – Cup in Hand Kickball Tournament- South Island
8:00-midnight – Live Entertainment – Wicked Vic Band
9:30- Fireworks Display

SATURDAY
9:00am-4:00pm – Flea Market Craft Show –Downtown
10:30am Skinners Bike And Pet Parade—Sponsored by Skinners Animal Clinic
Line up begins at 10:00am at Old Booth Central—Route starts at Jackson to Main St to Route 53 and ends at North Island. Trophies presented at the stage after the parade
11am- Debbies Miniature Horse Carriage Rides
Noon – Food Vendors and Carnival Open
1:00pm-5:00pm- Petting Zoo
12:30pm- Mr. D’s Famous Magic Show-
1:00pm – Cup in Hand Kickball Tournament- South Island
1:15pm- WHS Spiritline Performance
3:00pm- Reptile Show
8:00pm Live Entertainment – EDDIE V Band
9:30pm – Outdoor Laser Light Show

SUNDAY
10:00am-4:00pm- Catfish Days Car Show
Noon- Carnival & Food Vendors Open
1:00pm—Catfish Days Parade—Route starts at Mill and Water Street to Ryan Street. Ends at Memorial Park
2:00pm- Beer Garden Opens—Special $1.00 draft all day!
2:00- 6:00- All you can ride begins $20.00
2:00pm- Mike Valentine and the Heartbeats- Legends of Rock’n’Roll Show
3:30pm- Coloring Contest Winners Announced
5:59pm- Chamber of Commerce Split the Pot Drawing
6pm- Festival Closes

THURSDAY- Off the Island Music
7pm to 10pm Larry and Loretta – Wine Cafe
9:30pm to 12:30 am.Alex Hoffer – The Corner Tap

FRIDAY- Off the Island Music
7pm Last Call Band – Wine Cafe
8pm to midnight John David Daily – Route 66 Bar & Grill
9pm Silver Strings, Coopers Grove and Poison’d Crue – The Rustic
9pm to 1:30am Ethan Bell Band – Tuffy’s Lounge

Saturday- Off the Island Music
2pm to 6pm Superfly Rednecks – Route 66 Bar & Grill
5pm to 9pm Nobody’s Business – Route 66 Bar & Grill
6pm to 9pm Mike Dabrowski – The Corner Tap
8pm Greg Bender and T-Bird Huck – The Wine Cafe
9pm the Lacey’s, Whiskey and Harmony, Warpath and Bon Voyage – The Rustic
9:30pm to 1:30am Righteous Hillbillies – Tuffy’s Lounge
9pm to 1am Hyper DJ and J.P.E.G.

Sunday- Off the Island Music
1pm Blues Festival featuring multiple bands – The Rustic
6pm Wilmington Area Community Band – Veterans Memorial Park
8pm to midnight DJ Trip – The Corner Tap

Catfish Dinners

Would it be Catfish Days without a delicious catfish dinner? Stop in any of these restaurants during the festival and to enjoy mouth-watering catfish meal deals!

Wilmington House Family Restaurant
210 Bridge Street
815-476-2426
Broasted whole or filet catfish dinner with hush puppies, potato salad, and choice of either soup or salad. Dine-in or carry-out.
$11.95

The Rustic Inn
108 N. Water Street
815-476-7290
Whole farm-fresh catfish, coleslaw, potato wedges, and an ear of corn.
$15.00

A Little Catfish Days History

Catfish have long been a specialty of Wilmington. Why? Because they played a large part in initiating the event, Catfish Days, after Forked Creek spilled over its banks and flooded the cellars of a section of Wilmington called, “Catfish Town”. This section was located in a hollow behind the Chicago and Alton railroad depot before the turn of the Century.

The first Catfish Days Festival was held in 1976 as a part of the bicentennial celebration of our country. Because of its acceptance and the enthusiasm it engendered, it had become an annual event. The Wilmington Area Historical Society coordinated the festival the second and third years.

By the sixth year, it had grown so large that a separate Catfish Days Committee sponsored by the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce was established.

1985 would hold the last Catfish Days festival, it would be 14 years before it would be revived. In 1999, the city of Wilmington once again celebrated the festival.

To date, Catfish days is running strong with many things to see and do for all ages!

Event Forms

2019 Flea Market form / contract
Click here to download

2019 Parade form
Click here to download

WHS Pickleball Tournament
Click here to download

Contact

For information about the Catfish Days flea market on North Water St. please contact The Women of Wilmington via their Facebook page or Cassie at CassBob1@gmail.com

For information about mud volleyball, please visit the tournament’s Facebook page.

For all other festival inquiries, please contact CatfishDays@gmail.com

For website issues, contact Abstractionz@gmail.com