Visitors Spend $353.4 MILLION in McHenry County Last Year!

September 9, 2025

Once again, tourism and visitors mean big bucks for McHenry County

The receipts for 2024 are in, and McHenry County tourism is thriving – and as our name suggests, we love writing articles about thriving!

McHenry County last year welcomed visitors who generated $353.4 million in spending – that’s a 2.7% increase from 2023. That spending supported 2,195 tourism and hospitality jobs, and generated more than $16.1 million in tax revenue for local governments – that’s a 4.5% increase over the previous year.

Once again, McHenry County mirrored statewide trends. Illinois welcomed 113 million visitors last year who spent a record $48.5 billion, according to the Illinois Office of Tourism.

This wouldn’t be possible without our friends at Naturally McHenry County, who work tirelessly to spread the word that McHenry County is a great place to come and play. We’re not just part of Illinois’s success – we’re helping drive it!

District 50 cuts ribbon on Advance-funded ETCHED Center

The staff of Harvard Community Unit School District 50, joined by representatives from city and county government, cut the ribbon last week on its new ETCHED Center!

Short for Education, Transportation, Community, Housing, Employment, and Daily Living Skills, the ETCHED Center will prepare students, ages 18 through 21, for adult life. This transitional program will teach life skills like cooking, managing a household budget, finding a job, staying healthy, and more – preparing these students for life after high school by giving them the skills to live more independently.

The ETCHED Center is yet another of the many community enrichments made possible in part by the Advance McHenry County initiative, which the County Board created to invest tens of millions of dollars in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding into thoughtful and impactful programs. District 50 received an $853,125 grant to bring this great idea to life.

Congratulations to D-50 – we can’t wait to see the ETCHED Center succeed!

Time’s running out to complete Naturally’s summer trail challenges

Consider this your final call for summer adventure!

The two summer trail challenges created by Naturally McHenry County – the Cary Uncovered Challenge and the McHenry Kid-Venture Challenge – are drawing to a close in the coming days.

Cary Uncovered ends Sunday, Sept. 21 – visit 10 of the outdoor destinations by the deadline to claim your prize at Cary Main Street Fest or the Cary Municipal Center.

McHenry Kid-venture ends Saturday Sept. 27 – visit 15 of the participating locations to claim your prize.

Kids don’t get to have all the trail fun – make sure you grown-ups check out Naturally McHenry County’s Coffee and Tea Trail, Craft Beverage Trail, and Bloody Mary Trail!

Stade classic car and truck show returns for 20th year

Stade’s Classic Car and Truck Show is celebrating its 20th year!

Enjoy the vintage vehicles on display from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday at Stade’s Farm & Market, 3709 Miller Road, McHenry. There are attractions and games for all ages, food and drink, and of course, Stade’s famous pumpkin cannon.

Admission is free – and when you’ve had your fill of classic cars, check out Stade’s ongoing Shades of Autumn Fall Festival (regular admission rates apply).

Check out local history at the Woodstock Farmers Market this month

Every Tuesday through September, the McHenry County Historical Society & Museum is hosting a pop-up event in the Old Courthouse Center in Woodstock. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., visitors can come and enjoy fascinating local history and unique stories.

The pop-up happens to coincide with the renowned Woodstock Farmers Market on the Square – so you can shop for fresh locally grown and made goods as well!

Better yet, the Old Courthouse at 101 N. Johnson St. on the northwest corner of the Square is also home to the Naturally McHenry County Visitor Center! Make sure to stop by and learn about all the fun there is to be had in McHenry County – and pick up a free farmers market bag, too!

Pair the county’s best hikes with the best craft breweries and distilleries

Do you love the great outdoors and great craft beer? If so, have you tried pairing them together? It’s easy here in McHenry County.

Our county is home to beautiful open space and nature trails, and outstanding craft beer and spirits – and our friends at Naturally McHenry County, Illinois have paired nine walking paths throughout McHenry County with eight nearby brewpubs and one distillery.

Check out their list and get hiking! There’s no rush – you can enjoy this experience year-round – but it won’t be long before you have to break out the coat and boots, so get moving if you prefer milder weather!

If you like what you see, you can help us reach more McHenry County residents and businesses by sharing it!

Staying connected and informed is more important now than ever! Follow McHenry County on social media to make sure you don’t miss a thing!

McH Thrive is a collaborative initiative being implemented by McHenry County and the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) in partnership with the McHenry County community, including cities and villages, businesses and residents.