618 Day, Explained

With 618 Day picking up steam, we’ve received lots of questions about how this idea came to fruition, it’s purpose, and our role in it. I figured the easiest way to explain was a blog, so read along if you’re interested!

I lived in the STL region from 2011-2020 (aside from mid-2013 to 2015, when I briefly lived in Cape Girardeau and then Carterville). During my time there, I got to experience 314 Day; a celebration held on March 14th celebrating St. Louis, Missouri. On this day, restaurants have special meals, businesses offer discounts, and St. Louis-specific non-profits fundraise for donations.

I remember walking down Cherokee Street listening to music my first 314 Day, when I saw a woman with a giant tattoo of the Gateway Arch and riverfront on her back. The people at the celebration shouted with adoration and pride lyrics about (or by) St. Louis natives playing from the stage. Was it crowded? Sure. But no one seemed to mind. People worked together to make room in the crowd, hugging each other while singing and chanting.

I couldn’t help but think to myself, “I know so many people who feel this way about Southern Illinois…myself included. Why don’t we have something like this?”

“Why don’t we have something like this?” is perhaps the most common and frustrating phrase we hear in Southern Illinois. And last year…I just got tired of saying it. Instead of asking why no one else was doing these great ideas, I decided to instead ask “Well, why not me?”. I’ve been planning community events since 2017, starting in O’Fallon at the library. My first major event was a Candyland-themed Halloween Celebration at that library…we saw over 300 people in three hours.

When I came back to Southern Illinois and began working at the Carterville Library, I was awarded a grant that supported community conversations. I held these in the spring, and targeted finding resources and jobs for teens during the summer. They were extremely successful; at my first meeting, I had identified a potential food crisis and helped arrange a food collection and distribution initiative that brought non-perishable food to many families in the community. I know that I have good ideas, and I know when I can execute them, they will be successful.

So to answer a big question - am I getting paid for this? The short answer is no. I am not charging a vendor fee, nor a consulting fee. I do offer marketing services for those wanting to advertise their specials or presence at the event, but it is not required by vendors to hire me and I will still promote their presence. This event is purely being done from a place of being and creating the change I want to see for my family, not profit. Following this event however, I will be offering event planning services!

Anyways, back to the story; early 2024 I started thinking about 618 Day, and brought up a very rough idea of it to a few of my colleagues with Jackson County Tourism. They loved it, but in all honesty…I just wasn’t in a position to bring this idea to life at that time. I had a nearly two year-old that was in physical therapy, and I had declined additional speech therapy because I had planned on dedicating our summer to teaching and social development.

Also, I just wasn’t at the level I am now back then…I didn’t have much of a presence (I was still soillsocial), I hadn’t worked with vendors outside of styled shoots, and I just wasn’t sure how to execute my ideas. My brain was just coming out of a postpartum fog.

So, when Jessica of Caffeine until Cocktails offered to take the ball and run, I was all for it! Because also during my time at the Carterville library, I had suggested Jessica host a marketing presentation - she blew it out of the water. Jessica has the presence to get this idea and the excitement I wanted behind it out there. She understood what I was trying to do, and how this could be a celebration we could ALL participate in, how far we could take it. With her connections to local businesses, she could reach them on a personal level that I could not. And that she did! From the SIU Alumni Association to Faye, she got folks involved and informed.

She then referred businesses to me for ideas on how to create deals or events, and I believe year one was a success! But I couldn’t stop beating myself up for not being more involved. I beat myself up for not being a partner instead of an idea-giver, for not doing all I could to support the idea I put out there. My imposter syndrome was eating at me. But by winter, I feel like I came into my own in terms of my business, and navigating being a stay-at-home-mom.

We switched to Thomas Family Goes, and I knew for 2025 and my 35th birthday I wanted to throw a 618 Day party, a celebration. I was going to try my best to make this idea happen - and I knew even if I failed, Jessica had built enough of a foundation and presence for her efforts to be successful; 618 Day in name would not be a failure.

I had originally thought of something along the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. But when talking to the powers at be, it became clear how complicated that idea would be. Not all wineries are open during the week, and some have more capabilities in terms of events and staffing than others. In short, I could probably get a few of them to throw their own events, but a cohesive wine trail event wasn’t going to happen. And that just didn’t feel satisfying, or what I had in mind.

Crown Brew Coffee Co. had previously reached out to me about their new venue (when I had made a story about wanting to start a Soill Social Club), and when I thought about how involved Marion’s residents get with their community events, they made the most sense to partner with. Marion has loads of public parking in their downtown square area, and Third Thursday would be the following day, so I knew folks already had going downtown that week on their minds.

With Crown Brew on board, we started visualizing what we wanted this party to be. I knew I wanted to showcase all the best aspects of Southern Illinois; food, art, nature, homemade goods, photography, music, coffee…and most of all, community. When we started reaching out to vendors, the enthusiasm to join was so amazing! Before I knew it, we had folks reaching out to us, wanting to be part of the day and loving the idea. Once we reached a dozen vendors, I realized…we might just have something here.

I want the folks of Southern Illinois to experience what I did that day on Cherokee Street; the feeling of pride, belonging, while watching community members reveling in the offerings of your home city.

I hope you’ll join us on June 18th from 4-7pm in the 107 block of Union Street in Marion! I’ll be the super pregnant gal with a bagel in one hand and fruity soda in the other, fresh permanent jewelry on my ankle and a new painting under my arm, crying sentimentally about how much I love being a part of Southern Illinois. <3

- Jessi