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Diaper Derby a hit at St. Charles RiverFest

Posted June 07, 2014 1:01 am

By Brooke Herbert Hayes bhayes@dailyherald.com

Sarah Kulevich of West Chicago gets the ponies ready for the Janesway Farms pony rides in Lincoln Park at the City of St. Charles RiverFest on Saturday. Brooke Herbert Hayes/bhayes@dailyherald.com

St. Charles' RiverFest touts its 10 venues of family fun, but Saturday's Diaper Derby has to be near the top of the list. Put on by the St. Charles Mother's Club, it had more participants than in years past, with 15 tiny tots competing in a race to the finish line.

The club was approached several years ago by RiverFest to see if its members were interested in starting the old-fashioned event that the fest was interested in bringing back. This year there were several rounds of participants, with their parents cheering them on from the sidelines.

Jason Kara of Geneva laughed as his 8-month-old son Cole crawled into his arms to cross the finish line. "He's the big winner this round; he's thinking of joining the circuit," Kara joked.

Each first-place winner got a festival care pack that included gift cards and snacks.

Other attractions at RiverFest include dragon boat races, the Wonder Lake Water Ski Team, the Traveling World of Reptiles and sand sculpting. The event, going strong after 30-plus years, also includes live entertainment and friendly competitions.

"RiverFest in our town is a great opening to summer," St. Charles Mayor Ray Rogina said. "It's a very positive community event with the focus on the families."

The festival continues from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Dragon boat races will be at Pottawatomie Park. A Bachelor Auction will be held at 3:30 p.m. with attendees bidding on 10 participants, with money donated to a charity of each bachelor's choice. The Ducky Derby is at 4:45 p.m. There's also a kayak demonstration at the canoe launch and attendees can try out kayaks for free.

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Liam Granquist, 11 months, of South Elgin, far left, and Brady Tolkson, 13 months, of St. Charles, second from left, face off in the St. Charles Mothers' Club Diaper Dash at RiverFest on Saturday. Despite tears, Brady finished first place. "It just sounded so funny, I signed up," said his mother, Karlen Tolkson. Brooke Herbert Hayes/bhayes@dailyherald.com

Liam Granquist, 11 months, of South Elgin, front, Brady Tolkson, 13 months, of St. Charles, far left, and Sienna Stoll, 11 months, of Carpentersville, rear, face off in the St. Charles Mothers' Club Diaper Dash at RiverFest Saturday. Despite tears and a slow start, Brady finished first. Brooke Herber Hayes/bhayes@dailyherald.com

Liam Granquist, 11 months, of South Elgin, front, and Brady Tolkson, 13 months, of St. Charles, far left, crawl toward their mothers during the St. Charles Mothers' Club Diaper Dash at the St. Charles RiverFest Saturday. Brady finished first; his mother, Karlen Tolkson, is second from right. Nichole Granquist is far right. Brooke Herbert Hayes/bhayes@dailyherald.com

Cole Kara, aka "Crusin' Cole," 8 months, of Geneva is cheered on by his mother, Liz Kara, far right, and other parents as he finishes first during the St. Charles Mothers' Club Diaper Dash in St. Charles Saturday. His father, Jason Kara, said Cole is "thinking of joining the circuit." Brooke Herbert Hayes/bhayes@dailyherald.com

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