Des Plaines Sister Fest ends after 12-year run

After 12 years, the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth are pulling the plug on Sister Fest, which drew thousands of area families to Des Plaines each August.

The daylong event, held on the grounds of Maryville Academy, had become too expensive to run and attendance was down the last two years, a convent spokeswoman said.

It was initially started as a fundraiser to help defray the costs of a new provincial home for the order built along North River Road in Des Plaines in 1996. Later on, proceeds were used to further the international apostolic congregation's ministries, including education, health care, and pastoral care for families.

"It is canceled for good," said Sister Clare Marie, who served as festival coordinator for its entire run. "There is a sadness. It ran a good 12 years and I'm deeply grateful, deeply proud, and deeply humbled by the goodness of so many people. No other suburb had Sister Fest you know. It was a unique event."

Sister Fest started out as a three-day summer festival in 1997. It was later shortened to a day of festivities featuring an antique car show, arts and crafts, band entertainment, games and food, and children's activities such as an obstacle course, moon jump and pony rides.

"It was really a gift to families," Sister Clare Marie said. "The relationships that were cultivated over time are priceless."

Though not officially sanctioned by the city of Des Plaines, civic leaders have helped with its organization over the years.

"I'm very disappointed that they're discontinuing it," said 1st Ward Alderman Patricia Beauvais, who came up with the idea of the festival. "It was definitely something that tied the convent to the community. It enabled both to reach out to each other. There was more of a value to what we were doing than raising money."

Founded in 1875 in Rome, the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth next year will mark the 125th anniversary of its arrival in the United States to serve immigrant Polish families. The Des Plaines order may organize a celebration commemorating its establishment here in 2010 and 2011.

Beauvais said new leadership at the Des Plaines convent since it became the order's U. S. headquarters in 2007 may have contributed to the festival's demise.

"This was a small community thing that we did with the Sisters that lived here, and that's all changed," she said.