Horses highlight Danada Fall Festival

Horse demonstrations, pony rides, performances and horse-drawn hayrides were among the equestrian-themed activities Sunday highlighting the annual Danada Fall Festival in Wheaton.

Thousands of visitors to the Danada Equestrian Center enjoyed crafts, stable tours, food, music, an art show and children's activities - not to mention the beautiful fall weather, said Wayne Zaininger, the center's manager of equestrian education.

But the festival's biggest attraction has always been the celebration of horses, he said.

Several area organizations and their horses performed throughout the day in a large arena, including the St. James Pony Club, the Midwest Renegades Equestrian Drill Team and Friends for Therapeutic Equine Activities. Attendees could learn about various horse breeds and equestrian events, Zaininger said, and children made their own hobby horses.

The free event - a more than 30-year tradition - draws between 8,000 and 10,000 people each year, he said.

Zaininger said the one-day festival also serves as an opportunity to educate families about the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and the programs and resources it offers.

"It really gives you a taste of being in a DuPage County Forest Preserve, celebrating the fall," he said. "It's a great time of year."

Stationed at a tent on the festival grounds, park ranger Sarah Welsh said she enjoyed teaching kids about nature and the different functions of the forest preserve district.

"There's a lot of people who come in, and they didn't realize they have a preserve 2 miles down the road," she said. "It's great just being able to make a connection with people and having them come out to nature and see how many preserves we have out here."

Visiting the event for the first time were Rebecca and Chad Montgomery and their children, 4-year-old Lilly and 1-year-old Henry. The Glen Ellyn family said they appreciated a chance to be outdoors learning about nature while participating in fall festivities together.

"Our kids aren't around horses very often, so it's fun for them to see people interacting with horses," Rebecca Montgomery said. "It's nice to have this facility in our community."