Tweens find freedom, fun at Naperville's Last Fling

They roam in packs of three or more, carrying plastic blow-up baseball bats and frozen ice cream drinks.

These kids can be downright intimidating, at least for the toddler unfortunate enough to cross their paths.

Dozens of middle schoolers were among those roaming the grounds of downtown Naperville Saturday at the city's Last Fling, a day filled with rides, games and popcorn.

Some were too cool to let their parents tag along. Others were savvy enough to realize that most parents wanted nothing to do with the roaming tweens.

"Parents are mostly boring and want to go home early," said Alexi Caracotsios, a 12-year-old Kennedy Junior High eighth grader as he walked along the Riverwalk with his classmate, Charlie Rubin.

Chances for freedom from mom and dad come few and far between when you're a 12-year-old suburban kid.

And many took advantage of that liberty away from parents, strollers and such very family-friendly but decidedly uncool Last Fling events as the baby diaper derby and kiddie talent show.

Take Areeba Zahir. The 13-year-old spent part of the afternoon wading in the DuPage River as a half-dozen of her classmates chatted along the bank's edge.

"It's really hot outside, so I thought I'd jump in," said Zahir, another Kennedy Junior High student.

At the game booths nearby, Kyle Losik called on his fellow classmates for a battle of plastic blow-up swords. The slashing got mildly vicious with a reporter who unwittingly stepped into the fray getting whacked in the face with an errant swing.

"I've been coming here since I was in fourth grade," Jacob Abrams, 13, said after the horseplay subsided. "It's a tradition for us."

The best part of Last Fling wasn't even a question for Jacob and his friends.

"The rides," said Jonny Brown, 12. "The Fireball and Turboforce are the best ones here. They're both awesome."

Last Fling continues from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. today and wraps up from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday in downtown Naperville. Organizers are expecting about 300,000 people over the four days.

For more information, visit www.lastfling.org.