Winfield ready for annual Good Old Days celebration
For every woman who has ever kicked off her shoes, Winfield's Good Old Days presents a chance to put your punting skills to the test.
A ladies' shoe-kicking contest, one of several slightly kooky events at this annual salute to good times, will be staged on Church Street in the village's downtown from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8.
That's not the only bit of good old-fashioned fun going on during the four-day late-summer celebration marking its 51st year Thursday through Sunday.
In the Winfield Lions Club tent, a meatball-eating contest will challenge hearty and hasty eaters from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
A host of entertainment attractions will keep the weekend rolling, from carnival rides to high-profile musical acts to a parade, a craft show and children's activities.
For the first time, the Winfield Criterium bicycle race also will take place during Good Old Days.
"They decided to combine the two events," said Lisa Vogt, of the Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce. The chamber, along with the Winfield Lions Club, Winfield Park District, St. John's Knights of Columbus Council 8002 and the village, work with a team of volunteers to present the fest.
Racers will pedal for prizes all day Sunday.
The festival kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Thursday with a Knights of Columbus barbecue dinner and silent auction, a scholarship fundraiser in the Lions tent. Tickets are $35 a person.
Carnival rides will be open from 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
A business expo will be available from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday on Church Street.
A "bags tournament," where beanbag throwers aim for targets and cash prizes, will be played from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in the Lions tent.
A "coin carnival" will be presented from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Creekside Park in the Kids Zone.
"It's a collection of carnival games for kids ages 3 to 10," said Tom Bower, Winfield Park District recreation superintendent. "It's basically games of luck and skill."
Tickets for the coin carnival are 25 cents each. The kids zone also will feature a petting zoo from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday.
A Youth Talent Showcase will be presented on stage in the Lions Tent from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday.
For students in grades six through nine, a teen street dance is set for 7:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday in the south commuter lot. It will feature a disc jockey, dancing and a drawing for Amazon gift cards.
"It's for the kids to get away," Bower said, adding that though parents don't attend, the dance is supervised by adults. "It's a good spot for them to get together and socialize."
Sunday at 10 a.m., 100 plastic ducks will race down the DuPage River after they've been dumped in the water at Lions Park. Bower said each duck is numbered and visitors may purchase a duck for $5. Cash prizes donated by local businesses will be awarded, including a $150 first prize.
Vogt said a craft show will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday in Creekside Park.
The big musical headliner this year is The Ides of March featuring Jim Peterik. The band will perform 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday in the Lions tent.
The Good Old Days parade, with about 40 marching units, will step off at 1 p.m. Sunday near the corner of Sunnyside Avenue and Winfield Road.
Playing on the historical significance of the long-running Good Old Days village tradition, the Winfield Historical Society will offer a free walking tour of the town at 9 a.m. Saturday, beginning near the building that once housed a village icon, John's Buffet, on the corner of Jewell and Winfield roads, said Adrienne Rose, society president.
The historical society also will offer free trolley rides at several stops in the downtown area from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Rose said.
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, the historic Hedges Station will be open for free tours.
"It's the oldest remaining train station in the state, built in 1849," said Rose.
The society will offer baked goods for sale Friday through Sunday. And, the organization will present the shoe-kicking contest Saturday afternoon.
If you go
What: Winfield's 51st annual Good Old Days
When: 5:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6; noon to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9
Where: Downtown Winfield
Admission: Free
Info: <a href="http://winfieldgoodolddays.com/">winfieldgoodolddays.com</a>