Shipyard Days begins Sept. 20 in Seneca

Seneca is set to celebrate Shipyard Days beginning Wednesday, Sept. 20.

The five-day festival running through Sunday will feature a carnival, live music, a beer tent, food vendors, Seneca’s Cruise Night and a fall festival.

A fall festival will be 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the 100 block of William Street into Graves Park. The fall fest will include a vendor market, petting zoo, hay rack rides, pumpkin picking, face painting and straw bale slide, among other seasonal activities. Also Saturday, the village’s Cruise Night will take place 3 to 7 p.m. on Main Street.

The carnival will run Thursday through Sunday. Megabands, which allow access to all rides for the entire time the carnival is in Seneca, cost $65 in advance and $75 at the box office. Armbands, which are good for a single session of unlimited rides, cost $25 in advance and $28 at the box office.

The carnival, set up downtown, will be open 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. To get advanced tickets, go to Old National Bank, 224 N. Main St.; Peoples National Bank of Kewanee in Seneca, 395 S. Main St.; Village of Seneca, 340 N. Cash St.; Melissa Klicker via email at park.president@mailseneca.org; Lisa Howe at lhoweconsulting@gmail.com; or Rachael Schaibley at rachaelmarieconsulting@gmail.com.

Along with the carnival, food vendors will be set up as part of the celebration. Participating food vendors are Didoughs Twisted Pretzel Co., Joey’s Red Hots, Laki Hawaiian Ice, Seneca FFA, The Taylored Plate, Aol’s Thai Food and Sugar Mama’s Donuts. Check with the Shipyard Days Facebook page for specific times of food vendors.

The Neverly Brothers, a rock n’ roll tribute band, will headline Wednesday’s live entertainment. Gold & Platinum will take the stage Thursday, All American Throwbacks will open for SnapShot on Friday; then River Road Trio, Rockology Chicago and Brushville will conclude the festival’s entertainment Saturday.

Wednesday, Sept. 20

5 to 10 p.m.: Taste of Seneca and beer garden

6 to 9 p.m.: Rock n’ roll tribute from Elvis to The Beatles, featuring The Neverly Brothers

Thursday, Sept. 21

5 to 10 p.m.: Taste of Seneca and beer garden

5 to 9 p.m.: Carnival and games open

6 to 9 p.m.: Gold & Platinum, current and classic country, pop and rock

Friday, Sept. 22

5 to midnight: Taste of Seneca and beer garden

6 to 9 p.m.: All American Throwbacks, emo, pop, punk and alternative rock from the late 1990s to now

9 to midnight: SnapShot, 70s, 80s and 90s classic rock hits

6 to 11 p.m.: Carnival and games open

Saturday, Sept. 23

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Fall Fest, including vendor market, petting zoo, hay rack rides, pumpkin picking, face painting and straw bale slide, at 100 block of Williams Street into Graves Park.

Noon to Midnight: Taste of Seneca and beer garden

Noon to 11 p.m.: Carnival and games open

1 to 4 p.m.: River Road Trio, acoustic trio

2:30 p.m.: Cruise Night registration

3 to 7 p.m.: Seneca Cruise Night on Main Street

6 to 9 p.m.: Rockology Chicago, dance party

9 p.m. to midnight: Brushville, rock and country

Sunday, Sept. 24

Noon to 5 p.m.: Carnival and games open