All its quacked up to be

Winfield's annual end-of-summer classic returns this weekend with fast food, faster cars and a parade of ducks along the DuPage River.

The 40th annual Good Old Days starts today and continues through Sunday in the village's Town Center.

Organizers expanded the festival to a fourth day, convinced St. John the Baptist Catholic Church to provide additional space for an expanded carnival and retooled its talent show.

"If it's successful, I'm sure we'll want to keep the changes for next year," said Rich Bysina, director of the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the annual fest.

Miss Illinois USA 2007 Mia Heaston will make an appearance, as well as Miss Illinois International 2007 Caitlyn McCabe, whose family lives in Winfield.

Festival organizers decided to reprise last year's essay contest among middle school-aged girls to be crowned Junior Miss Winfield.

The contestants will compete based on essays explaining what it means to live in Winfield. The winner will be crowned by Heaston.

The Good Old Days parade, a staple of the village's annual festival, will begin at 1:15 p.m. Sunday near East Street Park and snake down Winfield Road past Creekside Park.

In past years organizers organized a theme centered around the parade. Bysina said this year's parade will have no theme.

"In the past we've had to stretch to come up with a theme," Bysina said. "But a parade is a parade. We don't have to dress it up differently or act differently to have one."

The festival will still have its requisite carnival rides near St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and an arts and crafts fair at Creekside Park.

Good Old Days organizers will also host a new talent show Saturday afternoon called "Winfield's Got Talent."

While in the past participants were limited to showcasing their singing ability, Bysina said the new format will allow anyone with a particular talent to put it on display during the fest.

"It can be anything," Bysina said.