Produced by the Illinois Theatre Association, the Illinois High School Theatre Festival is the largest and oldest non-competitive high school theatre festival in the world.

The three-day Festival takes place every year in early January, and switches locations between the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Illinois State University. Over 3,000 students, teachers, university representatives, exhibitors, and volunteers come together to put on a diverse selection of high school productions and variety workshops.

Other highlights include college/university auditions for high school students, professional development for teachers, and the All-State Production, featuring student cast, crew, and orchestra members from across the state.