Cantigny welcomes autumn with festival

Fall will be in the air, the gardens, the leaves and all over Cantigny Park in Wheaton on Saturday during the park's annual Fall Festival.

Families can enjoy free hayrides, explore a petting zoo, dive into a straw pile in search of candy, bounce around on inflatables or make a scarecrow — all in recognition of autumn. Admission is free with $5 paid parking.

“We just try and celebrate the fall season by having this event,” said Laura Evans, Cantigny's director of visitor services. “The gardens have all been turned over for the fall with some nice fall plantings, and the trees are starting, too.”

The Fall Festival runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, giving visitors plenty of time to explore the park's grounds in search of 50 decorated scarecrows (including one made to look like Robert R. McCormick, who owned the 500-acre estate before it was made into Cantigny Park). A map will be available listing the locations and names of the decorated scarecrows.

Visitors also can get their faces painted, take in music by local performers The Salt Creek Boys, marvel at stilt-walkers and jugglers or watch a live show by children's entertainer ScribbleMonster.

“This is always a favorite event for a lot of area families,” Evans said.

While almost everything inside the festival is free, pumpkins will be for sale. And anyone who gets hungry from all the fall fun can purchase seasonal treats at an outdoor concession stand or inside at Bertie's Coffee Shop. Handcrafted items will be for sale at an arts and crafts show with more than 40 vendors.

But even when the Fall Festival is over, free hayrides will continue. They will be offered from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays, Oct. 15, 22 and 29.

If you go

What: Cantigny Park Fall Festival

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8

Where: Cantigny Park, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton

Cost: Free with $5 parking per vehicle; crafts, pumpkins and food for sale

Info: (630) 260-8266 or <a href="http://www.cantigny.org/">cantigny.org</a>