EVENTS

ALL WEEKEND

CARNIVAL

6:00 PM - 10:00 PM THURSDAY

6:00 PM FRIDAY

12:00 PM SATURDAY

Grab your tickets and join in on the fun. Or come Thursday night and get a wristband to ride all of the rides you can squeeze into the day!

Early Bird Carnival wristbands $25 - or - Purchased on the night of $30

CUTEST PET PHOTO CONTEST

See Details Below

We are voting for Tug Fest- Illinois' Cutest Pets! 

The first round of voting will take place on Facebook! 

Submit a photo & get some likes on your pet photo! Top 10 "liked" photos will move on to the Final Round!

The Final Round will include each pet's photo on a canister with the pet's name for people to vote. Vote's will count by placing money in the respected container during Tug Fest Weekend (August 8, 2024 -August 10, 2024).

The top 3 pets to raise the most money will win gift baskets filled with pet care items donated by local businesses! 

Deadlines to follow:
Submissions: July 1, 2024 - July 14, 2024 - Application will be found here
Voting on Facebook: July 15, 2024 - July 29, 2024
Top 10 Pets Announced: August 1, 2024

Thursday - August 8, 2024

kid owned business

See Details Below

New - Family Night Feature

With Thursday, August 8th being Family night, we want to introduce kid-operated businesses this year – as Crafters or Vendors! What’s even better? The kid’s booth is FREE on family night!
Want to stay open on Friday and Saturday? You can do so at a discounted rate.

Kid-operated business are limited to those under 18 and must be accompanied by an adult.

View the Kid Crafter Application Here

David Casas Magic

6:00 - 8:00 PM THURSDAY

4:00 - 6:00 PM SATURDAY

We’re bringing David Casas Magic back to Main Street during Tug Fest - Illinois!

David Casas is a master sleight-of-hand artist and will be at Tug Fest on two different days and at two different times! If you missed him last year, you won’t want to miss him this year!

Come find him on Main Street! David can usually be found by locating large groups of people of all ages laughing and watching in awe as he creates magic close-up strolling magic to the community members mingling outside.

Check out more about David Casas Magic Here

PRINCE & PRINCESS PAGEANT

6:30 - 7:00 pm THURSDAY

We welcome you back to the 2024 Tug Fest Prince/Princess Pageant.

If you have attended the Great River Tug Fest in the past, or have talked to some of the previous contestants and parents, then you already know what a wonderful experience it is to be a part of this event.
Our number one goal is fun!

Are you interested in having your little one participate?
Please fill out and send us an application.

Child(s) age on August 8 2024 will determine which age group they would be in:
2 year olds
3 year olds
4 year olds
5 year olds

Sign-ups end August 1, 2024

FRIDAY - August 9, 2024

Quad Cities Karaoke Championship FINAL Qualifier

5:00 - 9:00 PM Competition

Another new, fun event added to our already fun-filled weekend is the Quad Cities Karaoke Championship LLC, hosted by Twisted Tones KJ and DJ services!

Tug Fest- Illinois will be the FINAL qualifier round for this event!

Sign-up starts at 4:00 PM in front of the Gazebo on Main St. Downtown Port Byron!

Contest will run 5:00 -9:00 PM. Ending right before the firework show starts above the Mississippi!

*Limited* spots available due to time constraints, event will be day of sign-up only.

Fireworks show

dusk

Join us for an electrifying evening under the stars as we light up the night sky with dazzling fireworks!

From vibrant bursts of color to mesmerizing patterns, our fireworks will leave you in awe.

JACK’d

9:30 - 12:00 AM

JACK'D is a QC party band playing radio hits & classic favorites from all eras!

Find them at the Gazebo on Main St. downtown Port Bryon immediately following fireworks.

SATURDAY - August 10, 2024

FIREMAN’S PANCAKE BREAKFAST

7:00 AM - 12:00 PM SATURDAY

Please join us on Saturday, August 10 2024, from 7 AM - 12 PM for our annual pancake breakfast during Tugfest!

Your local volunteer firefighters will be serving up regular and blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, hash brown patties, sausage links, coffee, milk and orange juice.

Bring your whole family. Bring your friends. Bring your neighbors!!!

This is a DONATION ONLY event!

We truly appreciate your support for our local community fire department!

3x3 BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

8:00 - 1:00 pm Saturday
3:00 - 6:30 pm Saturday

Please join us on Saturday, August 10th 2024, from 8 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 6:30 PM for the return of 3x3 basketball!

Tournament Age Groups:

Girls & Boys school grades: 3/4, 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, 11/12
Women & Men Age: 19 years old -22 years old
Women & Men Open Division: 23 years old +

60 team cap

Entry Fee: $120.00 per team

Registration Deadline: Wednesday, July 31 (no exceptions)

Please visit this link to read more information on tournament times, check-ins, rules and regulations.

NICK TEDDY 5K

8:00 - 10:00 AM SATURday

Tug Fest - Illinois is partnering up with the Nick Teddy Foundation & The Riverdale High School Cross Country Team to bring you the Nick Teddy 5K Presented by Tug Fest - Illinois!

The run will be held Saturday morning August 10th in downtown Port Byron.

The majority of profits from the race will benefit The Nick Teddy Foundation & The Riverdale High School Cross Country Team.

We are so excited to be a part of such a great event! Join the Facebook Event here!

Sign-up here

KID’S TUG

11:00 AM SATURDAY

The Kid’s Tug is where we start training our future tuggers! Join us at the Tug Site area and cheer on the dozens of kids who participate each year! We divide the children into age brackets to ensure everyone gets a fair chance and no one goes home disappointed.

Any child in preschool, elementary, middle, or high school is welcome to participate in this FREE event and will (hopefully) be given a shirt for participating! NOTE: Shirts are first come, first served to those children who participate in the Tug and are NOT guaranteed.  

The kids will be split up into the following age groups:

4 years old and under
5-7 years old
8-10 years old
11 years old and up

All participants must check in at the Kids Tug site (located near the official Illinois Tug Site) between 10:15 and 10:45 a.m. on Saturday, August 10.

Officiants will then split participants into groups. At 10:50 a.m., participants must be lined up and ready to tug.

Sign up here.

THE TUG

12:00 - 3:00 PM Saturday

The one and only tug of war across the Mighty Mississippi! Eleven teams of 20 & one woman’s team of 25 pull with everything they’ve got as they attempt to take home the alabaster eagle trophy.

Where else are you going to see a 2,700 foot long, 680 pound rope stop all Mississippi River traffic?

Bags Tournament

3:30 - 5:00 PM Saturday

Join us for the return of our Bags Tournament at Tug Fest- Illinois

Register your team early here - OR - by the Boat Docks on Saturday, August 10 at 3:10 PM.

Each team will play 4 rounds to seed in an upper/lower bracket. You are guaranteed 6 games!

Thank you to our sponsors, Young's Heating and Air, there will be an additional $100's added to the total pot. Winners receive 75% payout of the pot!

Kids Pedal Tractor Pull

4:00 -6:00 PM Saturday

Tug Fest - Illinois will host its 2nd Annual Kids Pedal Tractor Pull event hosted by Eastern Iowa Pedal Pullers!

The event starts at 4 PM by the Fire Station and Village Hall on Main St. downtown Port Byron. There will be medals for placing 1st - 3rd in each age group.

Registration Fee: $5
Early registration encouraged - Sign up Online Here

Day of Sign-ups begin at 3:00 PM

Age Groups:
4 year old and younger
5 year olds
6 year olds
7 year olds
8 year olds
9 - 10 year olds
11 - 12 year olds

*Please review the sign-up link above for further information.

MONSTER ARM WRESTLING Tournament

5:00 PM Saturday

Think you’re strong enough to participate in our annual Monster Arm Wrestling Tournament? Whether you just got off of the rope or you were just watching from the crowd, this event is for anyone and everyone.

Sign-ups are only available on Saturday between 4 - 5:00 PM. at the Gazebo across from Peakcock’s Tavern on Main St. downtown Port Byron.
Weigh-ins start at 5:00 PM!

More information about Monster Arm Wrestling can be found here

SWEET CORN EATING CONTEST

6:00 PM SATURDAY
sign-up is 5:00 pm

Tugfest- Illinois will be hosting its Second Annual Sweet Corn Eating Contest! The event will be at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 10th near the Fire Station and Village Hall in Downtown Port Byron. This event is being sponsored by LW Cattle Company.

• Early Registration Fee: $5

  • Sign-up Online Here

• Day of Registration Fee : $10

  • In-person sign-ups will begin at 5 PM

• Must be 18+

• There will be a max of 15 participants for the contest

This will be an 8-minute timed event, each contestant will have 8 minutes to eat 12 ears of sweet corn. There will be trophies for 1st-3rd place. Cash prize of $200 to the first-place winner.

All participants need to check in at the designated sign-up table (located near the fire station & village hall) between 5 p.m.- 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 10. Participants will then need to stay near the table until the event begins at 6:00 p.m. It will be one race, and tables/chairs/glasses of water provided.

Fair Warning

7:00 - 10:00 pM

Fair Warning is a high-energy Rock 'n' Roll band based in the Quad Cities!

Fair Warning brings an authentic rock 'n' roll experience that spans all your favorites! We draw inspiration from Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Guns 'n' Roses, AC/DC and other legendary acts.

Find them at the Gazebo on Main St. downtown Port Bryon to end our 2024 year!