Elmhurst Park District celebrating Adventure Day
When looking for ways to trade in the suburban lifestyle for some time in nature, most wouldn't guess one place to do it is a revamped landfill, but that's exactly what's available Sunday at Eldridge Park in Elmhurst.
Eldridge Adventure Day is a free community event aiming to help local families connect with nature, said Kari Felkamp, Elmhurst Park District spokeswoman.
The Adventure Day, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., will feature exotic animals, carnival games, a bug hunt and a fishing competition.
"It's a fun thing to do for the family," Felkamp said. "If you've never been to Eldridge Park, it's the ideal way to see the park in all its glory."
The exotic animals exhibit will include a chinchilla, a domestic skunk, a tortoise, a tarantula, a parrot, a fennec fox, lizards, a coatimundi (a member of the raccoon family) and a kinkajou, Felkamp said.
Three half-hour bug hunts, supervised by experienced conservatory staff members, will be at 10:30 a.m., 11:15 a.m. and noon.
Elmhurst police will sponsor the "Cops and Bobbers Fishing Derby," where kids of all ages can put their fishing line in the park's lagoon and compete to see who can catch the longest and most fish. Bait will be provided.
Three years ago, when Adventure Day made its debut, the fishing derby was the only event. As the years have gone by, park district staff members decided to expand the day and add more activities, Felkamp said.
Food trucks on-site will include Barbeque Jim's Catering, Beaver's Donuts, Toasty Cheese Mobile Eatery and Smallcakes: A Cupcakery.
Overflow parking will be available at Community Bank of Elmhurst, 330 W Butterfield Road, as parking at Eldridge is expected to fill quickly.
Before it was purchased by the park district in the 1950s, the 42-acre park was a landfill. But in 1956, the district purchased some of the land and began working to establish a park.
In the following years, more land was acquired and a recreation building, a lagoon and a bridge were added to the property.
Last year's Adventure Day attracted about 1,500 people and Felkamp was one of them.
Even if she wasn't working the event this year, she said she would join the activities and make it a family tradition. Her son was able to see some of the exotic animals, and she looks forward to when he's old enough to participate in the fishing derby.
This is the only nature-based event put on by the park district, Felkamp said. The goal is to bring the community together and introduce more people to the resources and activities at Eldridge Park.
"This is something different for people to experience," she said.
If you go
What: Eldridge Adventure Day
When: 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Sunday, June 10
Where: Eldridge Park, 363 W. Commonwealth Lane
Cost: Free
Info: epd.org