Pekin: Park Trails, History, and Festival Traditions

In Pekin, park trails and recreational amenities sit alongside historic landmarks; in September, the Marigold Festival tradition is also carried on.

Parks, Trails, and Recreational Amenities

The Pekin Park District has nine community parks, seven neighborhood parks, and more than 2,277 acres of land. The inventory may change over time. The Pekin Park Bike Trail is 4.3 miles long, starts at Allentown Road, and ends at Riverfront Park and Miller Park. A different scale is offered by the loop trail around the lagoon in Pekin Park: It is approximately half a mile long, has accessible features, and is wheelchair-accessible. The trail is a route with a designated start and end, while the lagoon route is a loop. You can therefore consider both the length and the shape when planning.

At Mineral Springs Park, Boating on the Lagoon offers pedal-boat rides on the lagoon. Magic Dragon Mini Golf is also located there and is an 18-hole course. Since both activities are seasonal, check operating hours before your visit. This gives you a choice between a ride on the water and a round of mini golf as different recreational options.

DragonLand is part of the Pekin Park District. It includes a ground-level play and entry area, two water slides, a dragon slide, and a sand-and-water play area. Be sure to check seasonal operating hours before your visit here, too.

Historic Sites and Festival Traditions

Pekin’s historic buildings include the St. Louis, Peoria, and Northern Railroad Depot and the Pekin Federal Building, also called the Old Post Office. The depot was built in 1898 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. The Federal Building dates to 1906 and was added to the same register in 1980. The construction dates and later listings mark different milestones in the buildings’ histories.

In June 1862, the first meeting of the Union League of America was organized in downtown Pekin. A memorial stone in Legins-Costley Park on Court Street in downtown honors Nance Legins-Costley as the first enslaved person emancipated with the help of Abraham Lincoln.

Another historical detail concerns Carl Herget, a businessman and member of one of Pekin’s most prominent families. In 1912, a house was built for him, designed by Hewitt & Emerson in the Classical Revival style; it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

Pekin’s Marigold Festival tradition continues every September with Art in the Park, the Marigold Parade, and other activities. If you want to plan your travel dates around it, check the specific event dates before your trip.

Explore more destinations: Tremont, Morton, East Peoria.

Return to the higher-level travel overview: Tazewell County.