Off The Beaten Path

Events

Everything happening at Off The Beaten Path — one big day of live music, local food, and hands-on creative experiences.

Pop-ups & Listening Parties Coming Soon

Before the big day, we'll be hosting intimate listening parties, pop-up showcases, and meetups around the area to introduce you to the artists and build up to the festival. Follow along for announcements — we'd love to see you there.

Tentative Date

Off The Beaten Path Festival

September 12, 2026

Villa Park, IL

Live Music

10 artists performing throughout the day — indie rock, R&B, hip-hop, blues, Latin, and more.

Listen to all artists →

Food & Drink

Local food vendors serving up everything from Korean fried chicken to authentic Mexican cuisine and smoky BBQ.

Dak Dak Wings

Korean-inspired crispy chicken wings with house-made sauces and fresh cut fries. A Villa Park local favorite.

Stout's Sausage & BBQ

Smoky barbecue and sausages with catering-quality flavors, straight from the grill.

Molcajete Mexican Grill

Authentic Mexican cuisine made from scratch daily with fresh, traditional recipes and imported ingredients.

Mortadeli

A Villa Park Italian deli serving up handcrafted sandwiches, Italian combos, and homemade baked goods.

Standard Meadery

Villa Park's craft meadery and cocktail lounge, serving innovative small-batch meads and forward-thinking cocktails right off the Prairie Path.

Activities

Get hands-on with tabletop gaming, retro games, and learn about curling from Villa Park's own curling club.

Rough Magic

Tabletop Gaming

Professional game masters running Dungeons & Dragons, Call of Cthulhu, Shadowrun, and more. All experience levels welcome — just grab a seat, roll some dice, and get lost in the adventure.

Tyton Games

Retro & Tabletop Gaming

Chicagoland's premier local game store in Villa Park — vintage and modern video games, Warhammer miniatures, trading cards, and board games.

Windy City Curling

Curling

Villa Park's own curling club — a 501(c)(3) dedicated to teaching and promoting the sport. Try curling for the first time or show off your sweep at their three-sheet facility.

Art

Performing arts, handmade jewelry, and unique handcrafted creations from local artists.

Encore Center For Performing Arts

Theater & Dance

A not-for-profit performing arts organization in Elmhurst dedicated to theater, music, dance, and comedy — bringing the stage to the trail.

FrankenWerks

Handmade Jewelry & Art

Quirky handmade and vintage jewelry, steampunk art, horror-themed pieces, and spooky goods crafted from upcycled materials.

MasterLink Chainmaille

Chainmaille Art

Handcrafted chainmaille jewelry and art made by a retired Teamster who turned a passion for the craft into a second career.

More

Community organizations and partners making the festival possible.

Illinois Prairie Path

Trail & Nature

The not-for-profit behind 61 miles of trails across DuPage County — North America's first successful rails-to-trails conversion, and the backbone of the festival route.