Last Fling bids farewell to another summer in Naperville

Andy Strimaitis hadn't been to Naperville's Last Fling since he was a boy, so he was surprised to see how much the official end-of-summer festival has grown when he returned with his own sons Monday.

"I don't remember it being nearly this big," he said, pointing to the dozens of carnival rides, vendors and other entertainment filling downtown.

Strimaitis, of Hinsdale, along with wife Marie and sons Ciaran, 4, and Declan, 2, were among thousands of families who spent Labor Day taking in the last day of the Last Fling.

The festival, put on by the Naperville Jaycees, hit a milestone this year by selling out Sunday night's Train concert at Rotary Hill, said co-executive director Matt Liethen.

"It was the first time we sold out ever," said Liethen, who estimated the rock band's crowd around 8,000.

In all, Liethen said the Last Fling was expected to draw about 300,000 people over three days. He said the attendance was "phenomenal."

"Last year, we had good weather but the economy was soft," he said. This year, "Everything's been very smooth, very consistent. We've really been fortunate with the weather."

Among Monday's highlights was the annual Last Fling Parade, led by Grand Marshall Ron Keller, who is director of the Naperville Municipal Band. Performer Joey Page of Radio Disney also was expected to be a hit in the afternoon, organizers said.

Liethen said one particularly popular attraction this year, on Saturday and Sunday, was an expanded and relocated Family Fun Land at Naper Settlement, where there was a petting zoo, train rides and other family-oriented attractions.

"A lot of people had fun with it, and that's the idea: family fun," he said.

As for 4-year-old Ciaran and 2-year-old Declan, Strimaitis said the boys were enjoying just being outside near the river, watching the ducks and geese.

"It's a nice thing to do on a Labor Day weekend," he said.