DuPage's Family Field Day celebrates agriculture, equestrian heritage
It will be a time to recognize the many contributions of horses, dogs, cows and maybe even a reptile or two when the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County celebrates Family Field Day at St. James Farm Forest Preserve in Warrenville.
Festivities will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 1, at the preserve at the corner of Winfield and Butterfield roads.
Visitors can enjoy horse and riding demonstrations, dog obedience and field trials, sheepherding demonstrations, a dairy exhibit featuring cows from Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago, and reptiles from Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn.
There also will be pony and haywagon rides, fishing, archery instruction, food vendors and live music featuring Truman's Ridge and Ashley Lewis. In addition, visitors can meet with forest preserve rangers and St. James Farm staff and volunteers.
Admission and parking are free, but there are small fees for children's activities and wagon rides. The entrance to St. James Farm is on Winfield Road a quarter-mile north of Butterfield Road. For details, call St. James Farm at (630) 580-7025.
Here's a schedule of events:
Limerick Outdoor Arena
11:30 a.m. Trail Class
12:30 p.m. Renegade Flag Drill Team
1:30 p.m. Trail Class Demonstration
2:30 p.m. Roman Riding Demonstration
3 p.m. Dirt Devils Youth Drill Team
Indoor Riding Arena
1:30 p.m. Dare devil Trick Riders Drill Team
2 p.m. Therapeutic Riding Demonstration
3 p.m. Driving Demonstration
4 p.m. Bareback and Bridleless Demonstration
Working Dogs in Hound Paddock
11:45 a.m. Disaster Dogs of Illinois
12:30 p.m. German Shepherd Search & Rescue Dog Association Illinois
1:15 p.m. Disaster Dogs of Illinois
2 p.m. German Shepherd Search & Rescue Dog Association Illinois
2:45 p.m. Disaster Dogs of Illinois
3:30 p.m. German Shepherd Search & Rescue Dog Association Illinois
Music Stage
11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Truman's Ridge
1 to 4 p.m. Ashley Lewis
St. James Farm is open from one hour after sunrise to one hour after sunset 365 days a year.
It formerly housed a dairy farm and agricultural fields. In later years, it served as a world-class equestrian venue.
The preserve offers trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding, lakes for fishing, picnic areas and other nature-related amenities. Visitors can discover the preserve's railroad heritage by touring the 1906 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy caboose or strolling among its historic buildings, tree-lined paths and works of art.
If you go
What: Family Field Day
When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 1
Where: St. James Farm Forest Preserve, Butterfield and Winfield roads, Warrenville
Admission: Free
Info: (630) 580-7025