Community Calendar

Vandalia Grande Levee at the Vandalia Statehouse Oct. 8-9

Celebrate fall and the return of the Grande Levee in Vandalia, Illinois on the grounds of the Vandalia Statehouse State Historic Site, the oldest State Capitol Building in Illinois. The event will be held Friday and Saturday, October 8 and 9, 2021.

The Vandalia Grande Levee is a celebration of the grand receptions held during the 1800s to honor government dignitaries and important visitors when Vandalia was the seat of government in Illinois.

The celebration will begin Friday, October 8 at 4:30 p.m. with an Old-Fashioned Ham and Bean Dinner sponsored by the Vandalia Association of Churches.  The dinner will be followed by musical entertainment and a performance by Randy Duncan, an Abraham Lincoln presenter.  

On Saturday, October 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Grand Levee will feature period demonstrations and selling of wares, and a children’s area with fun-filled period games. The Ewington Chapter SAR will have a 16-flag display, with full sized flags used during the American Revolution. At 11:00 a.m. on the front steps of the Statehouse, Mr. Lincoln (Randy Duncan) will take the stage for remarks. At 1:00 p.m., Charles Lyons will present a traveling museum with interesting relics of Lincoln’s time. Children will be invited to gather at 2:00 p.m. for storytelling by Mr. Lincoln. Steve Clark will provide bluegrass music throughout the day.

The Vandalia Grand Levee event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Old Capitol Foundation, and co-sponsored by the Vandalia Historical Society. All participants and attendees will be required to observe current guidance from the CDC and Illinois Department of Public Health regarding face coverings and social distancing. 

For more information on the event schedule, follow the Vandalia Statehouse State Historic Site on Facebook or call the site at 618-283-1161.

The Vandalia Statehouse is located at 315 West Gallatin Street, Vandalia, IL 62471, and is managed by the IDNR. The site is open each Tuesday through Saturday (visit our Facebook page for current site hours).