Record crowds at Itasca Fest not fazed by showers

Many Itasca Fest-goers who scrambled under tents to escape a brief shower Sunday were faced with a surprise when they walked into a post-show meet-and-greet with the stars of an educational show being put on.

The stars were not celebrities. Instead, they were animals such as a 9-foot-long Albino Burmese Python brought to the festival by Chicago-based Animal Rentals, Inc.

While Victoria Torres, of Chicago, wishes they had left the snake in the city, she did say a 4-year-old white-headed capuchin monkey captured her heart.

"I am in love with the monkey," said Torres, as the monkey, Mindy, a crowd favorite, sat on her shoulder and played with her hair.

Torres said she learned a few things she did not know about endangered species during the show.

"There are a lot of endangered species and it was good to hear what we can do to help save the animals," she said.

Mindy and the python were joined by three birds onstage as Animal Rentals, Inc. owner Bill Hoffmann spoke and invited children to hold and touch the animals.

The interaction is important at an early age, Hoffmann said, because it can plant a seed for the future.

"It's very rare for the children to get a chance to have a hands-on experience with the animals," Hoffmann said. "But because of it, the animal is no longer abstract or remote."

The post-show fun was a nice ending to Itasca Fest, which Itasca Lions Club member and event coordinator Dan Kompanowski said drew record crowds once again this year. Sunday was the final day of the four-day festival at Washington Park.

"It's a great community, and the people support the groups and the village at any event we run," Kompanowski said.

The educational animal show was just one of many programs aimed at children.

"Everybody gets together at this," he said. "It's a good meeting place for everyone who has graduated even 25 to 30 years ago."