Overview Strawberry Fest is Historic Downtown Long Grove's June festival, three days in which the village's own shops and restaurants turn strawberry: in 2026 that meant a strawberry blonde ale from Buffalo Creek Brewing, strawberry ice cream and milkshakes at Covered Bridge Creamery and strawberry-braised Italian beef at The Village Tavern, with a carnival and live music around them. It sits between Chocolate Fest in May and Apple Fest in September, and the village calls it an annual family tradition that has drawn crowds for decades. The Historic Downtown Long Grove Business Association, a nonprofit, puts the proceeds into street lights, entry signs, banners, upkeep of Covered Bridge Park and free community events. Long Grove is a Lake County village about 35 miles northwest of Chicago, settled in the early 1800s by German farmers. On site The festival fills the downtown crossroads of Robert Parker Coffin Road and Old McHenry Road, open until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. More than 20 shops and 12 restaurants take part, many with strawberry specials, down to strawberry pop-up cards and earrings at Artistic Creations. The Fountain Square Stage carries dance troupes, pie-eating contests and free kids' crafts on the weekend, and a carnival runs all three days. It goes ahead rain or shine, children 12 and under get in free, and a free weekend shuttle runs from a remote lot in Buffalo Grove. Talent and Influencers The 2026 Main Stage opened Friday with The Dreamers, Daniel Cronson Band, Loudernow and Sixteen Candles, filled Saturday with Jon Allegretto and tributes to The Cars, the Allman Brothers, John Mellencamp, Tom Petty and Springsteen and Seger, and closed Sunday with the Wagon Wheel Trio and Chris Stapleton and Kenny Chesney tributes. Fred Astaire Studios and the McNulty Dancers performed on Fountain Square. Track record The organizers say each of the three Long Grove festivals draws local television coverage from ABC, NBC, FOX and WGN. Brand presence Fantasy Amusements runs the carnival and First Student the shuttle. The Main Stage takes a sponsor's name for the weekend, on the banner across the top of the stage, the schedule and the festival's posts, and that sponsor gets to address the crowd and introduce the headline band. The Kids' Craft Tent is a 10-by-20-foot, festival-run tent on the grass in Fountain Square, and its presenting sponsor's booth sits beside it. A partner can back one festival or all three.