Best of fall traditions to play out at Pumpkinfest
The Streamwood Park District's annual Pumpkinfest will be held this year from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 6 at Hoosier Grove Park, 700 W. Irving Park Road.
The event includes pumpkin decorating, a pet show, a kiddie run, family entertainment, food, warm apple cider, a pie-eating contest, moonwalk and pumpkin launch.
The fifth annual Four Paws Animal Foundation's Family Pet Show will hold registration from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with judging to begin at 1 p.m. The contest is open to cats, dogs and rabbits and there's a $1 donation fee per category.
There will be first-, second- and third-place winners in each category. For cats and rabbits, the categories are most beautiful face and most beautiful color. For dogs, categories include best trick, best trained, best costume, most handsome male and beautiful female, cutest male and female and longest and shortest tail.
For the kiddie run, there is a $10 resident fee and $15 nonresident fee before Monday. Fees go up to $12 and $18 respectively after Monday or on race day. Check-in begins at 10:30 a.m. at the concession area.
Pumpkin decorating contest entries will be accepted between 9 and 11 a.m. First-place awards will be given in six divisions: age 5 and younger, 6-8, 9-12, 13-17, 18 and older and group entries.
Tractor wagon rides will be held from noon to 5 p.m. There will be a Schoolhouse Spelling Bee at 2:30 p.m. and a Penny in the Haystack contest at 4:15 p.m.
Bartlett's own Yul Brenner: The Bartlett Park District Family Theatre is putting on a production of "The King and I," the classic musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.
The show, which features a cast of more than 50 people, takes place Oct. 12-14 and Oct. 18-20.
Advanced tickets cost $7 for ages 13 and younger; $9 for senior citizens and students; and $11 for adults. Prices increase by $2 at the door and seating is reserved. Tickets can be bought at the Bartlett Community Center, online at www.bartlettparks.org or by phone with a credit card at (630) 540-4834.
Serving up a winner: The women of the Hanover Park Centre Court Women's 2.5 United States Tennis Association team recently won the Midwest Sectional Title in Indianapolis, beating out state champions from Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.
The team, which plays through the Hanover Park Park District, has won every match without losing a single court or even a single set.
Captain Kaori Arai leads a roster including Lora Gates, Yuko Hatanaka, Myahtwe Murata, Hiromi Kikuchi, Yuko Ando, Kyoko Ishida, Sharon Kraft, Ayumi Yamamoto and Keiko Tsuda.
The team will next compete Oct. 5 to 7 for the national title against 16 other sectional champions in Indian Wells, Calif.