50 th Pekin Marigold Festival Will Be Held This Fall, September 8 th – 11 th Pekin Marigold Festival announces theme of 2022 Festival: “Back in Time: 50 Years of Marigold Memories.” Pekin, IL - On September 8 th – 11 th the Pekin Marigold Festival will celebrate its 50 th year honoring Senator Everett Dirksen. This year’s theme, “Back In Time”, will reflect on how the Pekin Marigold Festival has become a cherished tradition in the Central Illinois region. Beloved by his hometown, Pekin hosted the first festival in 1973 as a celebration of the late Senator’s legislative legacy. The Pekin Marigold Festival was named after Senator Dirksen’s love for marigolds, and to this day Pekin is recognized as the Marigold Capital of the World. Senator Dirksen was most known for his key roles in passing the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (1963), the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Open Housing Act of 1968. Chairperson of the 2...