Storms force fest cancellations
It was a weekend of unfortunate milestones throughout DuPage County, as rain, lightning and unsafe roads forced several major festivals and events to cancel for the first time in decades.
By Saturday morning, organizers knew they had to call off the Lake Park Lancer Joust Marching Band Competition in Roselle, Villa Park's Oktoberfest, Wheaton's Autumn Fest and West Chicago's Mexican Independence Day Parade and Celebration. Several events being held at Cantigny Park in Wheaton also were canceled, including Giving DuPage's Volunteer Recruitment Fair, a Civil War re-enactment and encampment, and an emergency preparedness fair.
The cancellations resulted in major financial losses for several not-for-profit organizations, including the Lake Park Lancers. Band director Mike Chiodo said the joust contest is the band's biggest fundraiser of the year, grossing up to $58,000 and netting in the high $30,000s to help with operating expenses like food, travel, uniforms and instrument repair.
Although the band could have held the contest, which attracts groups from throughout the Midwest, in its auditorium, Chiodo said road conditions were too dangerous.
"We canceled just for the sake of safety," he said. "With so many roads being closed, there could have been issues and there were already pressure issues on the roads with sewer covers popping up."
Because the band's schedule is tightly booked for the rest of the year, organizers say it's impossible to reschedule. An emergency was planned for Monday night to discuss the financial shortfall.
Other multiday events, like Wheaton's Autumn Fest and Villa Park's Oktoberfest, persevered through the rain Friday but were forced to shut down by Saturday morning. Officials at the Villa Park Park District, who organize Oktoberfest, say it's impossible to reschedule.
"We know the community looks forward to it and we know it's a loss to the community," said Carrie Karl, the park district's superintendent of recreation. "But we try to look on the bright side, look forward to next year, and realize that once in 29 years is pretty good odds."
The Wheaton Chamber of Commerce is planning to meet this week to discuss rescheduling Autumn Fest, a chamber fundraiser that annually nets approximately $25,000 for activities and guest speakers. Sandy Lang, chamber events manager, said organizers must consider if they can afford to reschedule, if they'll be competing with other festivals and if they will have enough volunteers.
"A lot of our volunteers own homes flooded," she said. "They have to take care of that first."
While Cantigny Park traditionally hosts the Civil War re-enactment and encampment, which can draw more than 10,000 visitors, this was the first year the event included the Giving DuPage fair and only the second year for the emergency preparedness fair.
Giving DuPage manager Kathy Blair said storm lightning was dangerous for not only nonprofit organizations who had set up tents, but for Civil War actors who had been camping out overnight Friday.
"It was ironic because there were all these signs for the emergency fair that said 'Fire? Flood? Are you ready?' and it was like 'No, we're not ready,'" she said. "At first we all thought, 'Oh, it will be fine. We're under a tent.' But I think a lot of common sense prevailed."
Lou Marsico, Cantigny's senior vice president of operations, said none of the three events can be rescheduled, since Cantigny's season is almost finished. Despite financial losses, all three events are expected to return next year.
The one festival that remained financially unscathed is West Chicago's Mexican Independence Day Parade. The event was sponsored by the city instead of volunteers for the first time this year. Organizers said the parade won't be rescheduled, but city officials say they plan to sponsor the event again next year.