Though Mardi Gras in New Orleans is the largest street fair in the US, fewer people know where the SECOND largest is. The location of the second largest may surprise you: Evansville, Indiana! The West Side Nut Club Fall Festival occurs every year on the first full week of October and brings in an estimated 100k to 150k attendees per night. That’s 700k to over a million people in a week each year!
Fall Festival Food
The Fall Festival’s largest attraction is the immense amount of food. Over 130 food booths and food trucks line the street, selling everything from fresh corn on the cob to deep-fried butter (oh, the Midwest). Each booth is run by a local nonprofit group. You can find local churches, boy scout troops, and colleges selling delicious festival food all week to raise funds. My personal favorites include deep-fried mac and cheese, deep-fried cookie dough, corn on the cob, and deep-fried cheesecake; notice the trend? The most popular, and most strange, food item at the Fall Festival is the brain sandwich. It’s the only time of the year to get it! Be sure to grab a huge container of some of the freshest and best apple cider you’ll ever have while you’re there.
When you’re not stuffing your face full of your favorite deep-fried goodies, the Fall Festival in Evansville is full of rides and entertainment. Dozens of carnival rides line the streets, as well as local entertainment and talent competitions. Just try not to ride anything crazy if you’ve eaten too much!
Why I Love Evansville’s Fall Festival
Evansville, Indiana is my hometown, so I grew up visiting this immense festival. I recently visited as an adult during my road trip through the southeastern United States. I couldn’t possibly pass up the opportunity to sample all of the food trucks and booths at the festival! There’s so much food here, that every year they create a “munchie map”, a huge map of only the food offerings at each booth! Check out this year’s munchie map just to see all the food available!
Tips for Visiting the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival
- Parking options are scarce around the festival. You are most likely to find a spot by paying a parking attendant in a lot run by nonprofits in the area or searching for street parking further away. Parallel parking is a must-have skill for free parking around the festival.
- Even better than parking nearby, grab an Uber. It’s so much easier!
- Visit multiple days if you can. I promise, you’ll get sick if you try to eat everything you want in one day.
- Alcohol is not sold at the festival and is not permitted outside on the grounds. While most businesses on the street close for the week, some bars will remain open for guests to visit.
- There is minimal seating in the fair. You definitely need to be comfortable walking or standing while you eat.Â
Fun Things to do Around Evansville, Indiana
If you’re wondering what you would possibly do in Indiana other than the festival if you decided to pay a visit, it’s not just farmland! During my most recent visit, I also went hiking in neighboring Kentucky and visited Marengo Cave. Southern Indiana is chock full of immense cave systems, great food, and beautiful nature, especially in October!
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This looks like a really fun event to go to! I’m originally from Ohio and have never heard of it!
If you’re ever up in the area in October, you should definitely check it out!