Danada fest wants to rock with you with Jacko-lovin' horses

Posted October 07, 2009 11:00 pm

By Sara Hooker

Visitors who tour the barn during the Danada Fall Festival can learn a bit of history and see the horses as they get ready to perform in the arena. Bev Horne | Staff Photographer, 2004

Michael Jackson may have revolutionized the moon walk, but the equestrian drill team at Sunday's Danada Fall Festival plans to give audiences a real thriller.

The eight-horse drill team - bedazzled in sequins like the King of Pop's lone glove - plans to rock spectators by performing choreographed moves to Jackson songs. They're hoping to be a highlight of this year's festival, expected to draw 12,000 people to the Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton.

In addition to the horse show, people can beat it to several other demonstrations, exhibits, crafts and children's activities at the annual festival, which began in 1984.

Don't worry if they're black or white, the event features horses of all colors and breeds, including 35 guest horses from throughout the area and as far as southern Illinois.

"I really enjoy the show because we get lots of guest horses," said Sandy Slazyk, stable coordinator. "They're just individual people who show off the different riding that they do."

Riders will come together at 11 a.m. and 2:20 p.m. for performances of various techniques.

But don't stop 'til you get enough of the other activities on site.

Beyond the arena, witness riding demonstrations, and shoeing, grooming and feeding exhibits or browse the nature art and photo show. Children can play in the straw play area.

There are fees for the ever-popular horse-drawn hayrack rides, which are wheelchair friendly, as well as for pumpkin painting, face painting and food.

Tour the barn and you'll learn a bit about the structure of the building and the history of the facility - and see some of the horses in the show.

Various green vendors will be on site, including Comfy Bummy - a company that sells cloth diapers.

Going green is human nature for equestrian center employees.

"With the horses, pretty much everything we do here is green," said Trish Spiroff, site manager. "It's nothing new to us, but certainly from a vendor perspective, that's new. There's an initiative throughout the (forest preserve) district to go green."

For horse lovers, it's about the way they make you feel, organizers say. This event celebrates that.

"We just hope everyone comes out and visits us," Spiroff said. "We have a lot of things going on."

The Danada Equestrian Center is in Danada Forest Preserve on Naperville Road, north of Warrenville Road and south of Butterfield Road. Throughout the year, the equestrian center offers riding lessons, summer camps, barn tours, hay and sleigh rides and numerous volunteering opportunities.

For information, call (630) 668-6012 or visit danada.info.

Beyond the horses, the Danada Fall Festival offers children's crafts and activities. Tanit Jarusan | Staff Photographer, 2008

Horses - whether they're performing or patiently being petted - are the main attraction at the Danada Fall Festival. Tanit Jarusan | Staff Photographer, 2007

Danada Fall Festival When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11 Where: Danada Forest Preserve, Naperville Road between Butterfield and Warrenville Roads near Wheaton Cost: Free admission, some fees for events Info: (630) 668-6012 or <a href="http://danada.info" target="new">danada.info</a>

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