They're all lumberjacks and they're OK

"No running with that chain saw! You're going to put someone's eye out."

It's been a few years since 18-year-old lumberjacks Jesse Anderson and Matt Kurtz were warned by their moms about playing with their saws while growing up in the sawmilling town of Stillwater, Minn.

Thursday in Lisle, however, their chain-saw antics were encouraged by cheering audiences.

During the course of three shows, Anderson and Kurtz competed head-to-head in events including the ax throw, hot saw, boom run and log roll.

"It's a lot of fun and it's in my blood so I'm carrying on my family's logging tradition," said Anderson, who's great-uncle, Joe Fishcer, manages the All-American Lumberjack Show. "But I like the boom run the best."

It showed as he logged the best time of 10.93 seconds in the race that sent both lumberjacks across four tethered logs floating in a 10,000-gallon tank filled with cold water.

"It all looks like fun, and games, and out here it is, but everything we do is related to some type of logging need," Fischer said. "Loggers used boom running to get from one side to the other when they had to drag logs over the riverbanks."

Lisle resident Ryan McMillan and his sons Robert, 4, and Emil, 8, staked out a spot right up in front at the afternoon competitions.

"The boys like it, minus the noise, but I come to see this demonstration every year because I'm fascinated that they move (the chain saws) so fast and you never hear of them getting hurt," said the elder McMillan.

The lumberjack group will continue with three shows a day throughout the end of the fest on Sunday.

Some of the shows, Fischer said, will be interactive and include a chance for some of the younger audience members to try abbreviated versions of the contests.

"We encourage everyone to take a try at what we call our Lumberjack Sport Camp events," he said. "Who knows when you'll ever get to play like a real lumberjack again?"

Eyes to the Skies continues from noon to 11 p.m. today through Sunday in Lisle Community Park, Route 53 and Short Street, with daily balloon launches at 5:30 a.m. and nightly fireworks at 9:45 p.m.