Storm blows through ’burbs
The summer of 2013 dawned feisty on Friday, drenching the opening days of well-planned festivals around the suburbs but blowing over in time to get things back on track.
Two major festivals shut down and ran for cover Friday afternoon — Swedish Days in Geneva and the Long Grove Strawberry Fest — but were humming again Friday evening.
Sharon Fine, director of community development for Long Grove, said there was an impressive turnout at the Strawberry Fest on Friday morning.
“We couldn’t get our gates open fast enough, and it was great until all of a sudden the storm clouds came,” she said.
In Geneva, organizers were getting ready to start a children’s parade when they got word of the quickly approaching storm. Carnival rides were shut down, and high winds blew over some tables and chairs, but no serious damage was reported.
By 4 p.m., the festival was back up and running.
“The crowds are huge tonight,” said Jean Gaines, president of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, which organizes Swedish Days. “So maybe everything is back on the sunny side of the street.”