Burning Cicada Arts & Music Picnic Festival 2026

The annual Burning Cicada Arts & Music Picnic Festival returns to Hopkins Park in DeKalb on Saturday, September 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This free, family-friendly community gathering brings together live music, visual art, personal stories, creative participation, and local organizations in a relaxed picnic setting. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair, pack a picnic, and come for an hour or stay for the afternoon.

The 2026 musical lineup includes Sunny Gable, Renée Nanzer, Steve Deiss, Jessie Keller, Alex Fonseca — The Process of Still Life, and Chaos A Chord, with additional performers and activities to be announced.

This year’s festival also expands its spoken-word component with short live stories from artists, musicians, makers, and community members discussing their work, experiences, creative process, and the things that have shaped how they see the world.

Participating community organizations include NAMI, Safe Passage, and Rooted for Good, offering opportunities to learn about local resources and connect with people working throughout the region.

Burning Cicada is designed as more than a concert. Visitors are invited to listen, make something, meet someone new, discover an artist, find a community resource, or simply spend an afternoon beneath the trees.

Saturday, September 19, 2026
11:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
Hopkins Park, DeKalb, Illinois
Admission is free. No ticket or registration is required.

Come listen. Come make something. Come meet somebody.