Winfield's Good Old Days features music, food, games
Winfield's Good Old Days is more than a four-day party to celebrate the end of summer, Tony Reyes says.
It's also a link that connects generations of residents, something that brings friends and neighbors together and gives them a chance to meet new people.
Better still, he says, it's the kind of event that lures former residents back to town - even if it's only for a day or two.
"Neighbors always seem to come home for Good Old Days," he says.
Reyes should know. He's been volunteering at Good Old Days for roughly four decades and this year finds himself in charge of the party that opens Thursday evening and continues through Sunday near Beecher Avenue and Church Street.
"I was the guy," he says, "who forgot to run out of the room when they asked who wants to run it."
He's kidding, of course. And having a sense of humor helps when you're putting together a festival with the help of a couple hundred volunteers from community organizations such as the Knights of Columbus, the Lions Club, the Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce, the Winfield Junior Woman's Club, the Winfield Historical Society and all sorts of Scout-, church- and school-related groups.
The fest will run from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4; 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7. Admission is free and so are most of the events; visit winfieldgoodolddays.com for details.
Things get started Thursday night with the Knights of Columbus Scholarship Fund BBQ dinner and some live music, but really kick into full gear Friday when the carnival opens and Rick "Elvis" Saucedo performs from 6 to 8 p.m.
You know it's going to be a good party when the guy onstage is wearing a white jumpsuit, has really long sideburns and can curl his lip while singing stuff like "a hunk, a hunk of burning love."
"He (Saucedo) was there last year and he was an absolute riot," Reyes says.
Elvis will have left the building by Saturday and it's probably a good thing because there are a lot of food-related events that day, although thankfully none involving peanut butter and banana sandwiches.
Reyes says food fans can try their tummies at a meatball-eating contest, their hands at an egg-throwing contest and their feet in a potato sack race.
"There's a lot of food going on," he says.
The highlight of the evening, he says, will be a teen dance - complete with live music - from 7:30 to 10 p.m.
Things wind up Sunday with several popular events, beginning with the annual Good Old Days Parade at 1 p.m. This year's parade will be led by Ronald McDonald.
Then, at 2 p.m., the garden hose water fights begin under the supervision of Winfield firefighters.
Reyes says he participated in the water fights last year and learned a couple of valuable lessons.
First, when you step into a water fight involving hoses, it's likely you won't step out until you're really, really wet.
Second, it's a pretty safe bet kids are going to enjoy getting soaked more than, say, a guy who's been volunteering at Good Old Days for the past 40 years.
"It wasn't a lot of fun to do," Reyes admits, "but it was a lot of fun to watch."
As the head of this year's celebration, Reyes will be trying to avoid hoses over the weekend, but otherwise expects to find himself in the middle of nearly everything. And he can hardly wait.
"When it all comes together," he says, "it's a gas."
If you go
What: Winfield's Good Old Days
When: 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4; 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7
Where: Beecher Avenue at Church Street, Winfield
Cost: Free admission
Info: winfieldgoodolddays.com