Northwest Fourth-Fest provides family fun in Hoffman Estates

Pulsing music greeted visitors to Hoffman Estates' Village Green on Saturday but it wasn't coming from the adjoining Sears Centre Arena.

The recorded tunes were part of a carnival next door, a mainstay of the annual Northwest Fourth-Fest, a family-oriented event presented by the village in cooperation with Hanover Township and the Hoffman Estates Park District.

The event featuring live entertainment, food, fireworks and other activities runs through Sunday. The carnival will continue on Monday and Tuesday.

The Sears Centre at 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway wasn't empty, though, as an arts and crafts fair inside will run through Sunday. But the action focused in and around the big tents dotting the expansive, rolling lawn of Village Green.

"We were planning on going here for awhile, then come back tomorrow," said Nilesh Patel of Hanover Park, guiding his kids AAheli, 9, and Iraaj, 4, toward the activities. It is a kid favorite, he added, and the family has been coming for four years.

Krista and Jeremy Ruston of East Dundee were among parents dangling shiny objects and using other methods to coax their toddlers toward the finish line of the Diaper Derby.

"We try to keep a small town feel with a big event," said Donna Boomgarden, a member of the Northwest Fourth Fest commission and longtime event volunteer. "We'd like to see these kids in five years - you see the community growing up."

One-year old Abigail Ruston won the Diaper Derby and a $100 Target gift card by covering the 20-foot distance in just under a minute.

"Yogurt bits is the secret," said Krista Ruston, who a little later in the afternoon continued the food theme as one of a dozen contestants who donned a black garbage bag and tried to to eat as much chocolate cream pie as possible in three minutes. She finished out of the running in that event.

"The kids are out. It's time to go home," she said. "My stomach is hurting a little bit."

Despite having a slice of pizza just before his unscheduled entry, Jason Rozga of Roselle was able to devour the contents down to the pie tin and was rewarded with two tickets to any upcoming show at Sears Centre.

"Miserable. Full," he said afterward.

There is plenty of activity left, and as many as 40,000 are expected for the grand finale fireworks display - touted as the largest in the region - at 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

Visit http://northwestfourthfest.com/ for details and a schedule.