Summer Camp Music Festival

Find your community at this expansive camping, music, and arts festival in Illinois. Make a difference for others while enjoying a great atmosphere at the Summer Camp Music Festival!

Event information

The Summer Camp Music Festival takes place in Chillicothe, Illinois at Three Sisters Park. The event is an amazing three-day festival celebrating great music and creates a community between its visitors. In previous years, this festival has drawn over twenty thousand people to come out and enjoy. The energetic music at the festival takes place on ten stages scattered around the park.

The park consists of four hundred acres and has lots of space for camping, music, and RVs. There are sections set up for different styles of camping sites: tent, primitive RV, electric hookup RV, and a VIP area. Summer Camp takes place in a field with many wide-open spaces, and visitors should be prepared for the heat. Since the terrain is flat, this provides easy access to RVs and other camping sections.

Summer Camp Music Festival is loaded with art, great music, and plenty of volunteer activities for visitors. Activities are held both outside and inside. Heading on Yoga helps guests relax and be ready to enjoy their day. A Tye-Dye workshop brings plenty of color to the event.

Although the event is mostly about excellent musicians, there are also many workshops to enjoy along the way. A sense of community fostered by venue management and event organizers pride is something that makes Summer Camp stand out for music fans. This festival offers a wonderful experience for first-time and repeat visitors.

Load up the Airstream, campervan, or motorhome and head to the Summer Camp Music Festival during your RV road trip. Need a place to stay on the way? Illinois state parks welcome you to stop in for a peaceful night's rest.

Tickets

Tickets typically go on sale at the end of November the year before the festival. The tickets are sold according to how you are camping and each recipient is given a wristband. Your wristband can be mailed to you for a fee. Prices of the tickets often range from $180 to $250 for the entire three days. If you are interested in tickets, you may purchase them on the Summer Camp Music Festival website.

Explore Summer Camp Music Festival RV Rentals


Transportation

Driving

The City of Chillicothe is located on the Illinois River and sits 18 miles north of the City of Peoria. Three Sisters Park is located off Route 29 on the south end of Chillicothe. Motorists may encounter truck traffic around Peoria, but the road goes from two to four lanes with plenty of room for an RV. Getting Around Illinois is a helpful resource for navigating routes throughout the state.

Parking areas

To enter the festival in your rig or camper, you must have an RV pass. Once inside there are several camping lots. Where you camp depends on your RV and whether or not you bought a pass with an electric hookup. Once parked, your RV will not be allowed to come and go. It must stay parked for the three-day event. If guests choose to stay off-site, they will only need their parking pass and wristband to get back into the event.

Public Transportation

Summer Camp Music Festival has a partnership with FestDrive. FestDrive will drive from Chicago, Illinois to the festival site in Chillicothe. This is typically the only public transportation offered for the festival. It is recommended that party members book transportation as a group to ensure that arriving together will be reasonably possible if using FestDrive services.

Where to stay

Onsite

Camping at the Summer Music Festival

Camping at the festival is first-come, first-serve, and the RVs are separate from the tents. The event does not have water hookups. However, there is a water station located close to the camping stage. The festival offers a variety of amenities for the number of people that attend. Camping here will be an experience for sure!

Primitive RV Camping (non-electric)

If you’re participating in primitive camping, the festival provides shower and bathroom facilities; however, the use of the showers requires a fee. The closest restroom facility to the primitive campground is usually a port-a-potty. Primitive RV camping is in its own section.

Electric and VIP RV Camping

If you selected RV electric hookups, your site is located in a separate camping area, usually near the vendors. The indoor bathrooms, port-a-potties, and shower trailers are located near the RV hookup campground.

Nearby

If you choose to camp off-site and drive to the festival, the Chillicothe area has several RV parks within twenty minutes of the festival site. Campgrounds in the area offer shade options, water and electric hookups, lake access, fishing, and so much more. Off-site camping is an excellent alternative to camping at the festival if you desire some separation from the crowds.

If an off-site campground seems more to your liking, be sure to get a parking pass for your vehicle so you can come and go as you please. Chillicothe RV & Recreation Area sits less than four miles from Three Sister Park and is also near the Illinois River and several local lakes. Jubilee College State Park welcomes motorhomes and campers up to 40' and is within about a half hour's drive from the event site.

Getting around

Guests will find that walking is the primary way to get around at the Summer Camp Music Festival, so bring some comfortable shoes. The site of the festival is located on a vast grassland area in Three Sisters Park. It is requested that mobility devices not move faster than walking pace. Clear walking paths guide the way, and the stages are made in open spots. Right in the middle of the event is a large wooded camping area. There are a couple of stages located nearby as well.

What to pack

Clothing

Clothing of choice might include tank tops, shorts, sunglasses, and walking shoes. The weather in Illinois can be a bit mild in the late spring and early summer, so a jacket would probably come in handy for the night time. The weather can change in an instant so warm clothes, as well as rain boots and a poncho, should be brought. Make sure that whatever you bring is super comfortable but also okay to get dirty or lost.

Gear

If you are heading to Summer Camp in an RV, remember to check your rigs kitchen inventory for items that suit your needs. Because of the heat, you may want a personal water bottle or a water backpack to help keep you hydrated. The weather may change from hot to rainy, so a tarp or two might be helpful to keep any rain off your outdoor gear. Also, you may want to set up a hammock to lounge and relax between activities. Propane stoves are helpful if you wish to cook your own food. Open flames are not allowed. On the land, there is also a game field, so bring your favorite sports gear.

Health & Safety

For this type of festival, drinking water is a constant must. Make sure to stock up for the whole weekend to stay hydrated in the heat. Sunscreen and bug spray should be packed, along with a personal towel. Remember to bring any medications that may be needed. For the safety of all festival guests, illegal drugs are not allowed. Alcoholic beverages may only be purchased through festival vendors. Poor attitudes are prohibited at Summer Camp, so come prepared with your best inner smile. All vehicles are subject to search upon entry to the festival, including RVs.

Where to eat

Cooking

Summer Camp Music Festival allows for small propane stoves only for cooking at your campsite. The only restriction is no open flames. Bring hamburgers, hot dogs, and veggies to cook, or go all out and put out a spread for camp tacos. Remember that vehicles must stay parked once at the campsite, so plan ahead if you wish to prepare most of your own food during the festival.

Restaurants

Guests will find many restaurants in Downtown Chillicothe with choices of Italian, tacos, hot dogs, and Chinese. Also, there are breakfast places and sandwich shops as well. Just a three-minute drive from the park to downtown and you’ll find plenty of food options available. However, since vehicles must stay parked at campsites, walking may be preferred. Be sure to review safe walking routes to your chosen restaurant.

Vendors

Festival-goers can expect plenty of tasty treats and new foods to try at Summer Camp. Selections may vary from year to year offering guests something unexpected every time. New vendors do get added every year, often bringing new entrees. Be prepared for some delicious and greasy food to go with this amazing experience. Remember to bring cash in case your favorite vendor does not accept cards.

Safety

Security

For the safety of each guest, cars and RVs will be searched upon entry to Three Sisters Park for items that are not allowed on festival grounds. Security guards are posted throughout the festival, and the police will help monitor the campgrounds. If you plan to utilize a tent, bring a lock for it, and of course, lock your RV.

Weather

Typical weather in Illinois during May consists of daytime high temperatures in the 70s and lows in the 40s and 50s. Be prepared for both heat and cold. Late spring storms may occur. Check with festival officials if severe weather makes its way to the area during the festival.

Medical

The festival has a first-aid tent set up for anyone that happens to need assistance. They have also set up multiple water stations throughout the park. The closest hospital is located in Peoria and about 25 minutes away. Accessibility passes are available for guests that may need a bit of help navigating handicap options during the festival.