The Nauvoo Pageant is one of the most well known activities in Nauvoo, during the summer. The Church does a great job on the Nauvoo Pageant, and you leave with a wonderful, spiritual feeling. Before, the Nauvoo Pageant, they have a “Country Fair” where all the volunteers and missionaries put on Pioneer games, dancing and other activities, it is fun for the whole family. The Country Fair starts around 7:00 and goes until the Nauvoo Pageant Starts, at 8:30.
It feels as though you are transported back in time, to the times of the Pioneers when they lived in the area. It is peaceful and quiet all around and everyone in town(or it feels like everyone in town) gathers in a big field close to the Nauvoo Pageant stage and plays games and activities together. All volunteers are dressed in period clothes, which makes adds to the experience, it is so fun.
What to expect at the County Fair
When you first enter the Fair Grounds, you are greeted by volunteers giving out a map with directions on where the games and activities are located. The activities are all simple, fun, family games, similar to games they would have played in Nauvoo during Joseph Smith’s time.
We attended the both Pageants, the British Pageant and the Nauvoo Pageant, so we played at the “Country Fair” two nights in a row. The nights we attended the County Fair, the crowds were not bad, at all. Having never been before, we have no knowledge of normal crowd size, but both nights the activities were easy to do with minimal waiting in between.
Our group was able to do all the activities we were interested in, it was perfect. On the night when the Nauvoo Pageant was performed, there were slightly more people than on the day we attended the British Pageant. Overall, it was the perfect amount of people, great activities and such a beautiful spirit of the area, with families and tour groups playing together. Everyone having fun together, enjoying each others company and it seemed like what it might have been when Nauvoo was in her prime, good wholesome family fun.
The volunteers were so kind and happy, making it fun for the whole family. Everyone, volunteers and Pageant goers, seemed to be enjoying themselves, with a joyous atmosphere and beautiful backdrop of the Mississippi River close by.
The activities were simple which made it easy for all to participate.
There are about 17 different games and activities to choose from here are some of the activities that we enjoyed:
Dancing, to live music: they had young performers encourage everyone to get up and participate in the dances, and helped everyone learn the dances, and encouraged all to join in on the fun(it was really cute).
Tug-a-war
Sack races
Log sawing
Maypole
Pioneer Stick activities, where you roll a wheel
Hoop trowing- You throw circle hoops with sticks to a partner
Braiding, or rug making
Know Before You Go
Bring Bug Repellant, the bugs are pretty bad at night during the summer.
We attended the County Fair two nights in a row, and both nights our family had a lot of fun. My teenagers loved trying to beat their parents on the log sawing and the tug-a-war. The kids also liked learning the new dances, even though they were embarrassed to get out of their comfort zone, they had a lot of fun.
We learned, that the more the parents participated in the games, the more fun the whole family will have.
They have snacks to purchase and good, clean bathrooms. The County Fair in Nauvoo was a great time for our family.
More Things to see in Nauvoo
John Taylor Home, Nauvoo Illinois
Pageants in Nauvoo: The Nauvoo Pageant and British Pageant
Attending the Nauvoo Temple, Know before you go