Food, music and more at Heritage Fest in West Dundee
There are two clear things about the annual Heritage Fest in West Dundee, says John Blomquist of Pingree Grove — the food and the music are always great.
Blomquist, a teacher at Dundee Middle School who attended the festival on Saturday, said he made sure to catch a performance by Garage Orchestra, in which several of his students play. Afterward, Blomquist and his wife, Nicki, got ready to have a gleaming yellow ear of corn each. “Corn is the number one thing about fest food,” he said.
Carolyn Huebner of Algonquin said she was really impressed by the size of Heritage Fest, and especially liked the dozens of arts and crafts vendors that lined Lincoln Avenue along the Fox River.
Huebner bought a few dips to make later at home, and her mother, Virginia Huebner of Lake in the Hills, came away a small case with pictures of cats and dogs.
“This is my first time coming and I just can’t believe it’s this nice,” Carolyn Huebner said.
Audrey Abbott of West Dundee said the fest is a yearly tradition for her and her old high school friends, who later on Saturday were going to celebrate their 30th reunion. Abbott bought a gift — an autumn-themed door decoration — for her daughter, Cherie Mackenzie of Marengo.
The Glees family pairs Heritage Fest with its own tradition, a yearly garage sale that benefits from the constant stream of fest visitors.
“Some years we’ll make a couple of hundred dollars,” Trish Gless said, while her 10-year-old daughter Sarah and Sarah’s friend Sylvia Stypinski sold organic homemade cookies and lemonade.
West Dundee resident Debbie Mrozik and her husband, Rich, took a break from all the activity to quietly sit by the Fox River banks and enjoy the breeze.
“The weather is perfect,” Mrozik said. “Now we’re ready to get something cold.”
But 4-year-old Cameron Gunderson of Elgin wasn’t as happy.
“Why is there no carnival?” said Cameron, who came with his grandparents, Dave and Mary Ann Gunderson. Cameron’s spirits, however, were lifted by his colorful temporary tattoos, a couple of balloons, and going to see what he called “the cool race cars” at the festival’s antique car show.