Horse lovers find fall fun at Danada festival

So you didn't get that pony you asked for as a kid.

At least the Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton is giving all horse lovers the opportunity to see some of their favorite breeds during Sunday's Danada Fall Festival.

The annual "celebration of the horse" is the DuPage County Forest Preserve District's largest special event, drawing more than 12,000 visitors a year.

This year, the festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9, at the equestrian center, 3S503 Naperville Road, Wheaton. Activities include hayrides, horseshoe making demonstrations, and a parade of horse breeds.

"It's a great way for families to come out and spend a day together enjoying horses," said Bonnie Olszewski, a public affairs specialist for the forest preserve district. "Even if people aren't riders themselves, horses are such interesting animals. They're friendly, and you can interact with them."

Olszewski said the festival dates back the 1980s. The event was started as a way to promote the equestrian center, which once served as Dan and Ada Rice's racehorse training estate and was the home of 1965 Kentucky Derby winner Lucky Debonair.

Matt Dehnart, the center's equestrian program coordinator, said part of what makes the festival unique is its location. There are not many public horse facilities in suburban Chicago, he said.

Festival goers will be able to tour the Kentucky-style barn that once housed Lucky Debonair and learn about horse care, grooming and tack, officials said.

They also can visit the Rices' former home, now called Danada House, and view winners of the Friends of Danada Nature Art and Photo Show, a juried competition featuring local artists.

Children will be able to play in a straw pen, paint pumpkins, climb an oak tree, get their face painted or decorate paper hobbyhorses for a romp in the main arena at 3:55 p.m.

Then there are the horses.

Events in the main arena will feature many of the equestrian center's resident horses along with the Danada volunteer musical horseback drill team. Dehnart said about 50 horses are expected to be part of the performances and demonstrations throughout the day.

"They (visitors) will get to see many different types of horses," Dehnart said. "We have a lot of different breeds."

A group of horse riders making its first appearance at the festival is the Midwest Renegades Equestrian Drill Team. One of the Woodstock-based group's teams specializes in equestrian vaulting, which is gymnastics on horseback.

Meanwhile, another group that does cowboy mounted shooting demonstrations is going to be making a return to the main arena.

"Everybody loved them last year," Dehnart said. "It was something that was very energetic and got people up."

While admission and parking are free at the festival, food and drinks will be for sale and some activities have small fees.

For information, call (630) 668-6012 or visit dupageforest.org.

If you go

What: Danada Fall Festival

When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9

Where: Danada Equestrian Center, 3S503 Naperville Road, Wheaton

Cost: Free; fees for food and some activities

Info:

dupageforest.org or (630) 668-6012