S. Elgin festival serves slice of fall

Take yourself back to this past June 11, when children were freshly out of school, the Cubs had 28 wins and 34 losses, and the sun didn't set until about 8:30 p.m.

On that day, on a small one-and-a-half-acre patch of land in South Elgin, Mike Kenyon and his staff at Kenyon Brothers Farm fired up an old corn planter and pressed seeds into the soil; those seeds already had a destiny.

They would soon turn to sprouts, and over the long summer months would fight the elements to become the pumpkins grown especially for the sixth annual Pumpkin Patch and Fall Festival of South Elgin.

On Saturday, the South Elgin Parks and Recreation Department will hold this annual event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at County Park, on the corner of Water and Plum streets. Admission is free.

"I think that it's a fun way to celebrate fall. It's a really nice community event with a lot of things to do for the kids," said public relations coordinator Christine Mitchell.

Local farmers say there's a bit of a pumpkin shortage this year, as many crops have succumbed too much rain and standing water.

As Kenyon explained, his crop made it through, unlike those of some neighbors to the north -- like Goebbert's in Hampshire and Randy's in Elgin.

"There was limited rain at first, and I thought 'Oh, God, this is going to be awful.' And then it rained and I thought 'Oh, God, this is going to be worse' because it's going to rot.

"We lucked out. Our land drains better and we didn't have the rain they did. So ours did fairly well and we did not do any heroics.

"Things so far look good. They look good when you go out there. Last year we had a crop that would knock your socks off. I think the pumpkins are going to be larger than last year."

Kenyon estimates that the selection of pumpkins will include some as light as 3 pounds -- all the way up to 20-pounders. They will be on sale for between $1 and $3 apiece, and each purchase includes a trolley ride.

Other favorite family activities will include hayrides, a "pyramid of hay," a petting zoo, and pony rides. The South Elgin Public Works Department, the South Elgin Fire Department and Kenyon Brothers Farm will provide a dump truck, a fire engine, and a tractor for the ever kid-popular "Touch a Truck."

A bake sale will also be featured, with the proceeds to benefit the Youth Scholarship Fund, which provides money for the children of lower-income families so that they can participate in the many classes and events offered by the parks and recreation department.

The event will take place rain or shine. For additional information, call (847) 622-0003 or visit the South Elgin Parks and Recreation Department at www.southelgin.com.

If you go

What: Pumpkin Patch and Fall Festival

When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: County Park, on the corner of Water and Plum streets

How much? Admission is free; pumpkins are $1 to $3

Call: (847) 622-0003