The 52nd annual Burgoo Festival is this Saturday and Sunday. LaSalle County Historical Society Museum Director Amanda Carter says there will be 400 vendors on Saturday and close to 200 on Sunday in Utica from eleven to six. She says like always, the Burgoo Stew will be served on Sunday morning after being cooked in big kettle overnight. She says their pioneer stew uses three types of meat with different vegetables and a tomato base.
If you want a bowl of the pioneer stew, Carter says you’ll want to get in line between nine and noon because it usually sells out by 12:30.
There will also be a car show on Saturday from one to six and blacksmith demonstrations from local Blacksmith Doug Eichert from eleven to six.
She says he’ll teach people about the history of blacksmiths while demonstrating how it was done back in the day. He’ll also make a few items. Carter also says she believes this year’s festival will be bigger than last years. The pandemic didn’t bring in as many vendors last year and people seem ready to get back out to go to festivals.