It’s almost the first full week of October, when the West Side Nut Club’s Fall Festival takes over four blocks of West Franklin Street. Starting Monday, Oct. 5, more than 200,000 attendees (hopefully including you!) will find 130-plus food booths, a wildly popular half-pot raffle, carnival rides, live entertainment, parades, and more at the event that USA Today readers have named the best fall festival in the nation for the fourth consecutive year. For the seasoned Fall Festivalgoer, here are four things making their debut this year.
Festival Mobile App
The Nut Club has entered the 21st century with a festival-focused mobile app. Pull up maps, entertainment schedules, the latest half pot totals, and more information as you balance a giant fried tenderloin sandwich. Speaking of the half pot …
Half Pot Early Bird Drawing
The start of early raffle ticket sales and statewide online sales in 2025 have helped push the half pot over $2 million the past two years. Now, the Nut Club is sweetening the deal with a smaller drawing early in the week. Purchase half pot tickets now through 7 p.m. Oct. 5 for the chance to score an Early Bird Prize of $25,000. Even if you hit “snooze” on Monday’s drawing, a big payout likely awaits: The Half Pot Bot, an “unofficial Fall Festival half pot tracker” developed by freelance graphic designer (and onetime Evansville Living summer intern!) Nick Basham, scans the public half pot feed almost every minute and uses that data to predict the total raised. On Sept. 30, the Half Pot Bot projected this year’s raffle to hit a staggering $3 million.
Police Horse Debut
Saddle up, because Midnight, the latest addition to Evansville Police Department’s Mounted Patrol Unit, makes its debut at the Fall Festival. After being introduced to the public at a press conference Monday morning, Sgt. Nick Winsett will help Midnight acclimate to the crowds each morning through Wednesday. Thursday through Saturday, Midnight and Winsett will patrol the streets around the festival and help Saturday with traffic for the parade (featuring Grand Marshal and Grammy-winning Evansville native Alisha Gaddis). Bonus: Midnight and other members of EPD’s Mounted Patrol and K9 units have new trading cards.
Booth 41’s New Faces
Grace & Peace Lutheran Church has retired from working the festival, but fans of its famous Donut Burger shouldn’t fear — the Evansville African American Museum has picked up the torch. This summer, church members donated their mobile booth, equipment, grills, utensils, and well-loved recipe to the museum so its tasty legacy can continue. The museum soft-launched the booth Sept. 5 during Family Day festivities. Now, kitchen crews at Booth 41 are ready to whip up the flat-patty burgers sandwiched between glazed doughnuts from Donut Bank that Fall Festivalgoers have come to crave.
Overwhelmed with food options while reading the Munchie Map? Don’t sweat it. Evansville Living readers indulged in sharing their favorite booths while voting in this year’s Best of the City awards. Vanderburgh Humane Society (Booth 75) took home the top prize for its popular vegetarian items and hand-squeezed lemon and “lemorange” shakeups, but readers hardly skipped over their other favorite spots. Here are nine other booths they recommended:
- Reitz Varsity Scholarship Club (Booth 65): Fill up on barbecue grippos and smoky pulled pork from Miller’s BBQ & Catering, another 2026 Best of the City winner.
- Resurrection Catholic Church (Booth 29): Make room for warm German kutchen, creamy chicken and dumplings, and even pizza.
- Germania Maennerchor (Booth 132): The German club’s menu is made for serious eaters, with bratwurst, pork chops, sausage burgers, and its famous kraut balls on the lineup.
- Tau Kappa Epsilon (Booth 73): The USI fraternity introduces out-of-towners to River City’ favorites like strombolis, Grippos, and SKI.
- SWIRCA & More (Booth 78): Arrive early, because the line quickly gets long for the aging organization’s generously portioned slices of fruit cobbler.
- Evansville Day School (Booth 110): This stop doubles as a Hail Mary for tired parents, who can purchase puppy chow, walking tacos, and more kid-friendly snacks. Don’t walk away without a pint of fresh, cold apple cider!
- USI Varsity Club (Booth 107): Ribeyes and pork chops headline this reader-favorite stop.
- Bible Center Church (Booth 106): Next door to the USI Varsity Club, you’ll find giant fried tenderloin sandwiches, pancake batter-covered pronto pups, and iced tea.
- Armstrong Recreation Center (Booth 42): Choose from sweet treats like brownie sundaes, filling entrees such as gumbo, and favorites like the West Sider haystack featuring chili, cheese, and lettuce stacked atop salty Fritos chips.
Want more advice? Here are five things to know before you go, plus food recommendations from Evansville Living staff. Enjoy!
