About The Riley Festival

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We invite you to come and enjoy one of the largest craft festivals in the state of Indiana, with designated areas for food, commercial, flea market booths, and much more.  Over 460 exhibitors will be set up on the streets around the 100 year old courthouse.  Our event follows many years of traditions in celebrating the birth date of famed "Hoosier Poet" James Whitcomb Riley.  The Riley Festival begins every year on the first Thursday of October in beautiful downtown Greenfield Indiana.  Residents of Greenfield, Hancock County, and surrounding areas combine their talents and resources to honor the memory of Greenfield's native son.  Each year, one of Mr. Riley's poems is selected as the theme for that year's festival. The 2025 theme is “The Yellowbird".

The Greenfield Banking Company Entertainment Tent is a showcase for a wide variety of talent that runs Thursday through Sunday during the festival.  The Parade Of Flowers, which has been taking place for well over 65 years, features Greenfield-Central Community School Corporation's elementary students marching downtown to place bouquets of flowers around Mr. Riley's Statue.  The statue was placed in front of the courthouse in 1918 and is the focal point of the Riley Festival.  Our regular parade will be on Saturday with over 75 units traveling from the high school through downtown to Riley Park.  There are various contests you can enter, such as Photography, Home Arts & Quilt Show, and Little Miss & Mr. Pageant.  All entry forms are available here on our website.