GO DAY Peoria

09/11/2025

The riverfront was an absolute scene this past Sunday at GO DAY Peoria!

We teamed up with Big Picture Peoria’s Street Festival to take over Water Street — creating one huge block party for the whole community.

Sports on one end, art on the other, and everything in between. From hoops and hockey to chalk murals, live music, food trucks and games, the 309 showed up big.

’s proud to bring people together through moments like this. Big thanks to everyone who came out and made it a vibe, especially the volunteers, vendors and our sponsors. 🙌

City of Peoria Illinois - Government Discover Peoria CEFCU Simantel Peoria RiverFront Events / CEFCU Center Stage Visit Downtown Peoria DDC - Downtown Development Corporation of Peoria Peoria 25News WEEK Peoria Riverfront Museum Peoria County Regional Office of Education WMBD Radio

09/09/2025

❤️🎨📸

These are the joyful, community-minded volunteers who made the Big Picture Peoria Street Festival and the great event it was. Thanks to everyone involved. It wouldn't happen without each of you! Special shout out to Crew 309 for joining in the fun. Photo by Natalie Jackson Photography

09/08/2025

GO DAY '25 was one for the books! 💥

Thousands of people filled Water Street on Sunday for a free all-ages celebration of everything that makes Greater Peoria great... art, sports, music, community, and connection! 🧡

From the Big Picture Peoria Street Festival with hands-on art to inspiring performances and youth spotlights on the GO DAY Stage, the energy was nonstop! ⚡️ More than anything, we saw what happens when a region comes together to uplift and celebrate one another.

📸 Here are a few pics from the event—stay tuned, there's more to come!!

09/05/2025

🚨 It’s GO TIME, Peoria!! 🚨

GO DAY ‘25 is taking over Water Street this Sunday with a full day of FREE fun:

🎤 Live performances + GO DAY community stage
🖼️ Big Picture Peoria Street Festival
🎨 Interactive art zones
🏀 Sports + movement activities
🍔 Food trucks + summer treats
🏛️ Free admission to the Peoria Riverfront Museum
✨ …and so much more!

Grab your friends, bring the family, and get ready to celebrate everything that makes Greater Peoria shine. 🧡

📅 Sunday, September 7
🕚 11 AM – 4 PM
📍 Water Street, Downtown Peoria
🤑 FREE (in case you forgot!)

09/04/2025

Let’s talk line-up! 🎭🎶 Here’s who’s showing up and showing out on the GO DAY stage this Sunday:

Peoria High School Band & Drumline
Peoria High Dance
Peoria Players
Peoria High Drumline
Peoria County Regional Office of Education
Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service (Emerging Leader Spotlight)
Cancer Recovery by Empowering Women
Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association (HISRA) (Emerging Leader Spotlight)
Flynn School of Irish Dance
Bradley University Women’s Tennis & Baseball
CoachBre Wells Cottage Cheer & Dance
Manual Drumline
Illinois Central College Theatre
Big Picture Peoria (announcing their art contest winners!)

We couldn’t make GO DAY happen without all our incredible partners 💥

Big thanks to the amazing teams at City of Peoria, Discover Peoria, Peoria Riverfront Museum (don’t miss their FREE admission all day!), Girl Scouts, Ivy Rehab, HISRA, Scouting America, Peoria Youth Hockey, CREW 309, and Peoria Music Live for bringing the energy, ideas, and love for our city. 🙌

🗓️ Join us this Sunday, Sept 7th
📍 Water Street in Downtown Peoria
🕚 11 AM – 4 PM
💲 Free to attend. Free museum access. Free fun.

Come hang with us! ✨

09/04/2025

Glad you asked! 👍 Here’s everything you need to know if you’re planning to attend GO DAY this weekend! 👇

𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒
🗓️ Sunday, September 7th
🕚 11am to 4pm
📍 Water St. in Downtown Peoria between Harrison & Main (with Big Picture Peoria activities stretching up Liberty too!)
💲 FREE to attend!

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆
🚗 The parking deck at the Peoria Riverfront Museum will be open
🚗 Street parking will be available
🚗 The “free” two-hour lot in front of Running Central will be open
🚗 Plus, the Martinis’ lot will also be open for parking

𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐄
GO DAY will take place rain or shine! 🌦️ Keep an eye on our social media for updates regarding adjustments if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐃 + 𝐃𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐒
There will be plenty to eat and drink at GO DAY with more than 10 different vendors offering something for everyone! 😋

𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐋
Don’t miss the FREE Big Picture Peoria Street Festival happening right alongside GO DAY '25!

09/01/2025

Birdhouse Coffee will be at GO DAY this year!

Serving up their fan-favorite lattes, matcha, and more, PLUS an exclusive Strawberry Lemonade Freeze made special for GO DAY. 🍓🍋 It's sweet, tart, icy, creamy, and the perfect refreshment while you enjoy a full day of sports, art, music, and community fun in downtown Peoria! 👏

Come thirsty, and we’ll see you on the 7th on Water Street! 🧡

08/31/2025

The countdown is on! ⏳ GO DAY is just ONE WEEK away! 🎉

Next Sunday, Water Street in downtown Peoria will be filled with:

🎤 Live performances + GO DAY community stage
🎨 Hands-on art + the Big Picture Peoria Street Festival
🏀 Sports + movement activities
🍔 Food trucks + summer treats
🏛️ Free admission to the Peoria Riverfront Museum

All FREE. All for all ages. All happening in the heart of downtown Peoria. 🧡

📅 Sunday, September 7
🕚 11 AM – 4 PM
📍 Water Street, Downtown Peoria

08/30/2025

Come hungry, Peoria 😋 GO DAY ‘25 will be serving up some of the best bites (and sips) around! From savory to sweet (and everything in between), here’s who you’ll find on Water Street ⬇️

🍴 Gramma Nana’s Kitchen
🍕 Tony’s on Wheels
🔥 Grill Em All
🍔 Tin Roof Smokehouse
🌭 The Station
🍩 Mini's On The Go Donut
🍭 Cloud 9 Cotton Candy
🌮 Casa De Arte
🍰 Miranda’s Cakes & Confections
☕ Birdhouse Coffee
🍧 Kona Ice

Food trucks + summer treats + community vibes = the perfect recipe for a Sunday downtown. 🧡

📅 Sunday, September 7
🕚 11 AM – 4 PM
📍 Water Street, Downtown Peoria
🧡 Choose Greater Peoria

08/28/2025

Are you ready for hands-on creativity? 🎨

The Big Picture Street Festival will be at GO DAY '25, featuring activities for all ages! 🙌 Here’s just some of what you can dive into:

🌸 Flower Up Fulton / Community Mural with Artist John Seckler — help brighten Fulton Plaza with colorful panels designed by John Seckler
🎤 Singer/Songwriter Showdown + Music Stage — local artists go head-to-head with original tunes, hosted by Peoria Music Live and emceed by Roxy Baker
🌱 Paint It, Plant It — decorate a pot and take home a plant to grow
🖍️ Chuck’s Chalk Challenge — vote for your favorite pavement Picasso (cash prizes, 1:30–3:00)
🪩 Catch the Sun with Ruth Inman — bedazzle a disc for fun in the sun
🧵 Jump for Joy with Judy Yale — turn recycled tees into jump-ropes or rag dolls for kids in Africa
✏️ Do a Doodle with Jeremy Berkeley — add your creativity to the doodle wall
💬 Kind Words Count with Jody Tockes — draw a self-portrait and write a greeting to the community
🎭 Lay of the Land — short improv games for a world-building experience with Bradley students
🎮 Knock a Gnome — a virtual reality lawnmower game where you take on garden gnomes
🦋 Costume Creation — decorate your own wings, capes, and masks
🖐️ Big Art Needs a Hand — help paint Peoria County’s Bicentennial mural (1:30–2:30)
📚 Bookmark Bonanza — design your own bookmark with local libraries
🎈 Art Spot with Steve Curtis — balloon critters and more
🎨 Clay Creations with Connie Andrews — create a critter or buddy out of clay
🎨 Button, Button — make your own button art
🎨 Stamp Stomp with Jamie Wunning — carve your own stamp
🎨 Stage Stars — make a star with hand puppets and wooden stick figures
🎨 Abstract Forest — collage with photos from Trees by Art Wolfe

All FREE, all part of Choose Greater Peoria x Big Picture Peoria at GO DAY ’25! 🙌 Don’t miss it!

Thank you to the incredible sponsors for making this all possible! 🙏

CEFCU • Jerry Kolb • Simantel • CT Gabbert • Fritch Heating & Cooling • Lennox • First Ascent • Born Paint • Bradley University • Shared Blessings • Discover Peoria • Sharon & John Amdall • The Krause Family • Friends of BPP • Illinois Arts Council

📅 Sunday, September 7
🕚 11 AM – 4 PM
📍 Water Street, Downtown Peoria
🤑 FREE

08/26/2025

Enjoy FREE admission to the Peoria Riverfront Museum! 🏛️✨

At GO DAY, you and your family can explore the exhibits, get inspired, and experience one of our city’s greatest gems at no cost! 🙌

📅 Sunday, September 7
🕚 11 AM – 4 PM
📍 Water Street, Downtown Peoria
🤑 FREE

Art. Science. History. Community. It’s all waiting for you! 🎉

08/24/2025

📍 All the action happens right on Water Street in Downtown Peoria, between Liberty & Main. 💥 That means you’ll be steps away from the Riverfront, the museum, food trucks, and all the excitement. 🎉

Don't miss all the FREE fun hosted by Choose Greater Peoria in just two weeks on Sept. 7th!