Family games, contests fill the Riverwalk at Batavia's Windmill City Festival
Windmill City Festival, held in the heart of downtown Batavia at the Riverwalk, features a variety of activities over the course of two and a half days.
Visitors can check out the plethora of live bands; peruse the craft and vintage Market; participate in the pet parade; or dive in to the ice cream eating contest. This year's festival will be held Friday, July 13, through Sunday, July 15. Admission is free.
The Bulldogs Unleashed team is joining in all the festival fun this summer. Stop by the City Council Chambers from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 13; from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, July 14; and noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 15, to learn more about the public art project and view a display of painted bulldog puppy statues. Be sure to vote "Best in Show" in both the kids and adult categories for a suggested $1 donation.
Interested in displaying your painted puppy statue? Drop off submissions at City Hall by 6 p.m. Friday, July 13. Winners will be announced on the main stage at 3:45 p.m. Sunday, July 15.
Festival organizers are excited to welcome Jim Nesci of "Cold Blooded Creatures" on-site for a portion of the popular pet parade on Saturday, July 14, at 10 a.m. Don't miss the chance to visit with his unique critters. Pet Parade participants can register from 9:15-9:50 a.m. near the main stage. Pets can win "best overall" in five categories: best trick, most unusual pet, best costume, highest jump, and best kisser.
The first 50 registered participants will receive a complimentary "doggie bag" to take home.
Bubble Ball Soccer is an exciting twist on the traditional game of soccer. Kids and adults can enjoy this fun new game while being wrapped in a giant, soft inflatable ball. Get ready to have a blast 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 15, at this free activity.
Two 50-foot gutters will house hundreds of scoops of ice cream for the ice cream eating contest at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 15. Participants will be divided into age categories and will compete against other ice cream enthusiasts to see who can finish their scoops the fastest. No hands allowed!
Tee one up at this year's Golf Challenge. Ages 10 and older can take a shot at chipping a hole-in-one on a floating green in the Depot Pond. The cost is $5 for five balls. Hours are 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 13; noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 14; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 15.
The Fun Zone is back this summer by popular demand and includes new inflatable attractions such as a 38-foot wacky obstacle course, rock climb and slide, and Velcro sticky wall, as well as the quad power jump.
Daily inflatable wristbands are available for $15 and allow unlimited entry for a single day. Quad power jump tickets are $5 each.
The Batavia Mother's Club Foundation will once again host the Diaper Derby at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 14, underneath the big festival tent. Participants ages 6 to 15 months will compete in a crawling race to win fun prizes. Register by the Main Stage beginning at 2:30 p.m.
The Chuck the Duck Race takes place at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 15. Compete in this fun water activity to see who can send Chuck the Duck across the finish line first. Participants must be at least 5 years old.
There are plenty of activities for adults as well, including a bags tournament, live bands and an adult division in the ice cream eating contest. Grab a partner and "toss for a cause" in the Batavia Parks Foundation's annual bags tournament at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 14. Cash prizes will go to the top two teams. After the bags tournament, be sure to stop by the food booths and beer garden.
The Windmill City Festival committee includes representatives from the Batavia Park District, Batavia Chamber of Commerce, and the city of Batavia.
For details on Windmill City Festival or for a complete schedule of events, visit www.windmillcityfest.org.