A fall of fests: Towns celebrate change of season
Summer may be over, but that doesn't mean the end of festival season in the suburbs. Celebrate the change in the weather with seasonal food, crafts and plenty of entertainment. Here is a sampling of upcoming autumn fests:
Cantigny Fall Festival: Cantigny Park and First Division Museum, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton, (630) 668-5161, cantignypark.com
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 Price: $5 includes park admission
The annual festival offers a chance for adults to shop while keeping kids entertained. An open-air market features 30 to 40 vendors showing off their jewelry, home decor items and even locally grown produce. Hot dogs, popcorn, hot chocolate, apple cider and taffy apples will be available to snack on. After browsing the wares, families can purchase a pumpkin to paint for a small fee. Bring some clothes to make a scarecrow; the festival provides the burlap sacks and straw for stuffing. The event also features face painting, a stilt walker, hayrides, inflatables to jump on and a candy dive.
"We have an area set up with straw bales and we put candy in the straw and the kids have to dig through it to find the candy," said Laura Evans, director of visitor services for Cantigny. "For some reason, they love it."
Des Plaines Fall Fest Family Fest and Marketplace, Lake Park, 2200 Lee St., Des Plaines, (847) 391-5399, fallfestdesplaines.com
Hours: 6 to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25; noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27
Admission: Free
This year marks the 90th anniversary for the Des Plaines Park District and the 75th anniversary for the chamber of commerce. To celebrate, the city is hosting a community bash with a wide variety of live music, a food and beer tent, as well as bags, golf and croquet tournaments, paddleboat races and plenty of activities for kids. There are $3 pony rides, an arts and crafts tent, face painting and historic and modern carnival booths for 25 cents a game.
"We're trying to stress a day for the family to come out and enjoy the outdoors without spending a lot of money," said Gayle Mountcastle, superintendent of recreation.
Fall Fest, 900 Skidmore Drive, Antioch, (847) 838-4032, antioch.il.gov
Hours: Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10
Admission: Free
Fall Fest kicks off with at 10 a.m. with an adventure race, which special events supervisor Shawn Roby calls a test of mental and physical skills. Families and adult teams run around town participating in challenges including kicking field goals, playing Frisbee golf and answering Trivial Pursuit questions. Even if you're not up for participating, you can catch a little of the spectacle by watching groups complete an obstacle course at the festival location. Last year, it involved trying to climb a hill that had been basted in Crisco.
Weird entertainment continues throughout the day with events including dachshund "Weiner races" and a stein race where teams from local taverns run with a full mug of beer, which they have to avoid spilling. Other entertainment includes live music from local teen groups, a pumpkin roll and a hunt for money hidden in a haystack.
Fall Fest, Paulus Park, 200 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich, (847) 540-5054, volz.org
Hours: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12
Admission: $5, free for kids under age 2
Spend the day doing some outdoor crafts at Paulus Park. Kids can paint pumpkins and bring their own clothes to make scarecrows, with straw and frames provided. The fest also features free hayrides from 1 to 3 p.m. Chili, hot dogs, chips, soda and beer are available to purchase.
Huntley Fall Fest, Deicke Park, 11419 S. Route 47, Huntley, (847) 669-3180, huntleyfallfest.org
Hours: 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26
Admission: $2-$5
A communitywide event, Huntley Fall Fest is absolutely packed with activities. Restaurants from around the area sell everything from spare ribs to chocolate-covered strawberries. A mix of rock groups and cover bands will provide live music all weekend. Most of the action takes place on Saturday, which kicks off with a one mile walk at 8 a.m. After getting some exercise, you can fuel up with a pancake breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. ($5, $3 for kids ages 3-12). Scope out custom cars, antique vehicles, trucks and custom autos at a car show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or browse a craft show and book sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A kids area features pony rides and a petting zoo and the bash finishes off with fireworks.