Music, camping, and togetherness. Shoe Fest has it all.
Every labor day weekend, Camp Shaw-Waw-Nas-See in Kankakee County transforms into the ultimate family-friendly camping music festival. Founded in 2011, Shoe Fest boasts 3 days and nights of live music, including kid-oriented acts on Saturday and Sunday morning. The family atmosphere is amplified by the fact that the venue of this festival is a 4-H camp that hosts school-age campers for two months every summer. There’s real bathrooms, real showers, and plenty of places to fill up your water bottle. Price gouging does not have a home at Shoe Fest, which makes it really easy to bring the whole family.
Kid-Friendly Music and Bubbles Galore
You know a music festival is family-oriented when they feature a “bubble man”, who shares all of his homemade bubble wands with the kids. At every stage are multiple tubs of his homemade bubble solution, and all weekend kids and adults are welcome to make massive bubbles using his homemade wands. He also has a couple of special wands made out of fishing nets and rope that he uses to blow hundreds of bubbles at once.
The Shoe Fest lineup always includes Mr. Dave, who teaches children’s music lessons in Wicker Park, and is the highlight of every kid’s Saturday morning. He brings a ton of energy, tons of kids friendly songs, including one about a panda named Bamboo the Bear. He knows his craft well, and since he is entertaining children he even throws in a few jokes about passing gas, which the kids have a lot of fun with. In the past, his assistants have brought out multiple parachutes, colorful scarves, noise makers, and more for the kids to use during his set.
The Sunday morning music has shifted over the years. There have been kid-friendly bands of adults playing music, and recently they have even tried out a set of music played by kids, for kids.
Bluegrass, Food Trucks, and Quality Vendors
Afternoons, evenings, and late nights are filled with primarily bluegrass music, and every night you’ll get a set of music from Old Shoe, who are the namesakes of Shoe Fest, which was founded by their frontman, Matt Robinson. As Matt holds down the musical side of the festival, the management side is run by Vanessa Robinson (no relation to Matt), and their endless dedication keeps festival-goers safe and entertained.
A variety of vendors can be found, most of which are kid friendly. In years past they have had impressive tie-dyes from Dimple’s Dyes, beautiful handmade bamboo/LED lanterns from BamboozLED, and kids and adults have also been able to get tinsel woven into their hair. Of course you can bring your own food, but there are also fantastic food vendors, and some years this includes crowd favorite Crave Belly. The Shoe Fest map is very easy to navigate, especially if you’ve been to Camp Shaw before.
We caught up with Zach Swinderman, a non-managing partner and the Site Ops manager at Shoe Fest. Reflecting on the festival’s longevity, Zach shared, “One reason I think we’ve done well is that Matt, Vanessa, and I set out to build a fest that we’d want to go to.” That vision clearly resonated, so much so that in 2018, Zach asked his young son, Emmett, if he was ever getting tired of Shoe Fest. Emmett’s reply was simple and unforgettable: “No, Daddy. I wish that every day could be Shoe Fest!” Years later, Emmett still feels the same way, a testament to the festival’s enduring magic across generations.
Past Acts at Shoe Fest
Over the years, Shoe Fest has welcomed an eclectic mix of talented performers. Past acts include David Grisman(2015), Keller Williams(2016), and Kyle Hollingsworth(2024), with violinist Allie Kral serving as the festival’s long-time “artist at large.” Local favorite Old Shoe entertains audiences with multiple sets throughout the weekend. Other memorable performers have included Mr. Blotto, Molly Tuttle, Cornmeal, and Chicago Farmer—a crowd favorite who sometimes appears with his band, the Field Notes. The festival’s lineup consistently blends seasoned musicians with emerging talent, creating a weekend full of music, energy, and surprises.
Camp Shaw
Camp Shaw even gets involved in the festivities. You can cool off in the waters of rock creek, take a hike on some trails, and you can even camp in the cabins on-site. Things change year over year, but in years past Camp Shaw has opened up their facilities to serve breakfast, showed off reptiles to children, and provided fun activities including giving each kid their own wooden snake to color.
Affordable Tickets to a Family Friendly Camping Festival in Kankakee County
Shoe Fest tickets are affordable, as they are generally around $250 per adult, and $30 per child. They usually sell Sunday-only tickets as well, for around $100-$150. If you live in the Kankakee area, you can even go home at night and sleep in your own bed, which will leave you nice and rejuvenated for the next day.
We cannot recommend Shoe Fest and Camp Shaw-Waw-Nas-See enough. This is truly a family oriented music festival, and it’s practically in our backyard. You will not regret bringing your family to Shoe Fest. People come from all over the US for Shoe Fest, which is located in Manteno, IL.
