Blooming Fest blossoms in downtown West Chicago
West Chicago's Main Street will buzz with activity Saturday, May 21, when Blooming Fest returns with its annual plant sale and fine arts and crafts fair in downtown.
Food vendors, family activities, a car show, live music and booths manned by community organizations and businesses also will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"It's a great public event. It may be the biggest event that goes on in the city all year," said John Said, the city's director of community development. "It's just going to be a feast for the senses."
Blooming Fest evolved from what began as the West Chicago Garden Club's annual plant sale.
Several years ago, the city joined forces with the club to make Blooming Fest a multifaceted community event, garden club member Pauline Briggs said.
"The town thought, 'They're attracting a lot of people. Let's enlarge it and attract more people,'" Briggs said.
The cooperative venture has proved to be a favorite spring celebration for locals and visitors.
Briggs said garden club members contribute their own plants for the sale. There also are some donated plants.
"There will be a limited number of annuals, vegetables, mostly perennials, lots of native plants, some trees, shade plants, a little bit of everything," she said. "We get some really nice native plants, some bleeding hearts and Jack-in-the-pulpits. They're not as easy to find at a nursery.
"There also will be some run-of-the-mill plants, some black-eyed Susans and hostas."
Briggs said the club uses sale proceeds to cover its expenses, such as the annual summer picnic and guest speakers at club meetings, which typically draw 30 to 50 members.
Blooming Fest will feature about 25 craft vendors offering garden art, hand-painted planters, wearable art, jewelry and unusual items such as vegan soaps and soy wax candles, Said said.
In conjunction with Blooming Fest, the West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission will present Arteculture, a multimedia pop-up art show, at 103 W. Washington St., during the festival. At 2 p.m., there will be a reception for winning artists in the city banner competition. A preview night and artists' reception will be held at the same location from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday.
Proceeds from Arteculture will fund a scholarship for a Community High School graduating senior pursuing an arts education.
Other Blooming Fest highlights include the Chicago Corvette Club car show, a children's toy car racetrack, a pancake breakfast, a silent auction and exhibits on display at the City Museum and at the 1860s Burlington Depot.
Mayor Ruben Pineda will greet fest-goers at 9 a.m. on the Main Street Stage, where performers will include drama groups, dancers and a chamber choir.
Said's daughter, high school senior Miranda Marnik-Said, will sing and play keyboards at 1:30 p.m.
"She's one of those kids who has always loved piano," he said.
Free parking is available at the nearby Metra lot, the city hall lot and the Fremont lot, he said.
If you go
What: Blooming Fest
When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 21
Where: Main and Washington streets, West Chicago
Admission: Free
Info: (630) 293-2200, ext. 140, or westchicago.org