LOOGOOTEE — A regional summer tradition returns to Martin County this week as the highly anticipated Loogootee Summerfest kicks off three consecutive days of food, music, and community activities.
The 2026 festival is scheduled to run from Thursday, June 18, through Saturday, June 20. Festivities will be centered around downtown Loogootee at the newly utilized Gathering Pavilion and surrounding green space.
Thursday, June 18: Opening Day Festivities
The festival begins Thursday morning on the greens of LakeView Golf Course with the annual Summerfest Golf Scramble. Teams will take part in a shotgun start beginning at 9:00 a.m., following morning registration.
As evening approaches, the main festival grounds downtown will open to the public from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Thursday’s initial lineup includes:
- Vendors & Rides: A wide variety of food and craft vendors will open alongside a full carnival midway provided by Lark Ranch.
- Pageantry: The annual Summerfest Queen Pageant will take place on the Main Stage Pavilion starting at 6:00 p.m.
- Live Music: Immediately following the pageant, local favorite First and Main will perform a live concert at the pavilion.
- Family Fun: Dedicated pony rides will also be available for children throughout the evening.
Friday, June 19: National Country Spotlight
The midway and vendor booths reopen at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Early evening events feature the Tri Kappa Sidewalk Chalk Contest at the Main Stage Pavilion at 4:45 p.m., followed by a musical performance by Alyssa Gallarneau at 6:30 p.m.
Friday’s marquee attraction is national country music artist and former American Idol contestant Alex Miller. Miller, known for his traditional country sound and high-energy stage presence, is slated to take the Main Stage Pavilion at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 20: Sports, Parades, and Fireworks
Saturday shifts the festival into high gear with a full slate of athletic tournaments and community traditions:
- Morning Athletics: The day begins early at West Boggs Park with the Summerfest 5K. Registration opens at 7:00 a.m., with the Fun Walk commencing at 7:30 a.m. and the competitive run starting at 8:00 a.m.
- Tournament Sports: Action moves to City Park at 9:00 a.m. for the Sand Volleyball Tournament, alongside heavily anticipated three-on-three basketball and pickleball tournaments scheduled throughout the day.
- The Main Parade: At 5:30 p.m., participants will begin lining up at Loogootee High School for the annual Summerfest Parade. Moving under this year’s official theme, “Stars, Stripes, and Summer Nights,” the parade will march through downtown Loogootee starting at 6:30 p.m.
The three-day celebration wraps up Saturday night with a dual-threat entertainment finale. AC/DC tribute band Dirty Deeds will deliver a high-octane rock performance at the Main Stage Pavilion at 8:00 p.m. The entire festival will formally conclude at 10:00 p.m. with a massive, choreographed fireworks display over downtown courtesy of Wagler Pyrotechnics LLC.
Beyond the entertainment, organizers have locked in an expansive food lineup featuring regional favorites. Attendees can browse items including walking tacos from St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, fresh lemon shake-ups from the Loogootee Methodist Church, standard fair foods from Frequent Fryers, and local options from Ain’t Bad BBQ and Lazy Days Gyros & Grill.
