Vintage is in vogue at McHenry County Heritage Fair

Neon jumpsuits and acid wash jeans will be totally awesome again when the McHenry County Historical Society and Museum hosts its 30th annual Heritage Fair on Sunday, July 12, with an 'I love the '80s' theme.

"If you've always wanted to wear a mullet, this is your chance to do it," said Kurt Begalka of Harvard, the Historical Society's administrator. Staffers will be decked out in '80s garb while tunes of the era play in the background. Visitors are encouraged to dress '80s-style as well.

The fair will be hosted from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the museum grounds at 6422 Main St. in Union.

The museum's biggest fundraiser of the year, which brought in about $9,500 last year, will begin with a white-elephant sale where about 1,000 items will be available.

"There's vintage clothing, old hats, old dresses going back into the '20s and '30s," Begalka said. "If you want to get ready for a Halloween party, this is the time to do it."

Attendees can visit a new exhibit, "Bottles, Barrels & Brews: McHenry County on Tap," which opened in May. The exhibit spans the history of breweries and taverns from the 1860s to the repealing of prohibition in 1933, all in a re-created speak-easy.

"A number of different breweries opened here in Woodstock and McHenry," Begalka said. "A lot of those craft-style brewers are coming back into town. Beer and brewing is huge right now."

At noon quilt expert, historian, and appraiser Sandy Schweitzer of Crystal Lake will demonstrate a quilt bed turning and exhibit some of the roughly 160 quilts in the museum's collection along with a number of her own items.

"I always say my favorite quilt is the one that's in front of me," Schweitzer said.

Each year, her educational seminar delves into a different theme of quilts. This year, the main subject of discussion will be color.

"We're going to talk about the history of color and how color is the first thing a person sees when they look at a quilt," Schweitzer said.

Her two grandchildren will be assisting her for the 11th year. They will be holding up colors, wearing T-shirts, and asking questions; all to prompt discussions pertaining to the color of their quilts and the weight it may hold.

The museum's quilt collection dates back to the mid 1800s and includes quilts from the following century. On Aug. 23, she will be holding an additional seminar in which she returns her appraisal skills to curious quilt owners.

"Quilts just parallel history, you know, people inherit quilts and sometimes the maker is no longer around," Schweitzer said. "They want to know 'What do I have here?' Sometimes people ask about value, but most often people just want to know when it was made and anything about it."

Other activities at the fair include an antique auction, a pie baking contest, an old fashioned cake walk, kids entertainment, music and a car show.

For information on the McHenry County Historical Society and Museum or the Annual Heritage Fair, call 815-923-2267 or visit www.gothistory.org.

If you go

What: The McHenry County Historical Society and Museum's 30th Annual Heritage Fair

When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 12

Where: 6422 Main St., Union

Admission: Free, registration for pie-baking contest is $2

Details: visit <a href="http://www.gothistory.org">www.gothistory.org</a>; call (815) 923-2267; or email info@mchenrycountyhistory.org