Naperville Jaycees hope Last Fling can make a difference
There's a perfect moment that takes place each year during the Naperville Jaycees' Last Fling celebration.
Kids may discover it high atop a carnival ride during the Labor Day weekend event. Some may hear it in the last chords of one of the main stage acts. Others will discover it as the parade marches by, flags flying high and a drum beat keeping time.
Regardless of when that moment happens, it's an honor and a privilege for the Naperville Jaycees to have orchestrated it, said the fest's co-executive director, David Byrne.
"You have thousands and thousands of people living their lives and this festival is a part of their lives. Everyone takes something different away from it," Byrne said. "These are the moments that make up people's lives, and it's really special to be a part of that."
Last Fling 2010 begins Friday, Sept. 3, and runs through Monday, Sept. 6, in downtown Naperville. The farewell to summer includes concerts each evening, a large carnival, food and a beer garden, a free family entertainment area, a parade and a fun run.
In turn, festival goers affect the lives of thousands in need who benefit throughout the year from the Naperville Jaycees' largest fundraiser.
The Jaycees is an organization dedicated to helping the community. Money raised at Last Fling is donated to other groups within the community and pays for many of the Jaycees' programs throughout the year, including the annual holiday food baskets and Easter egg hunt.
Concerts, carnivalThousands attend Last Fling concerts each year at Rotary Hill. Headliners take the stage from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday and include Buddy Guy Friday, Collective Soul Saturday and Clint Black Sunday. The Kimi Hayes Band plays Monday from 4 to 6 p.m.Co-Executive Director Mike Kreger anticipates Buddy Guy will be a gigantic hit. "When you say 'blues' in Chicago, I think people think of Buddy Guy," Kreger said. "He has his iconic club, Legends, in Chicago and, for a lot of people, Buddy Guy is the blues. He has such a following in the Chicago area that it's really wonderful to have him play our event."Tickets to a VIP area at the base of the Millennium Carillon are $100 and include a meal provided by Sullivan's Steakhouse, unlimited adult drinks and the best seats in the house. A new ticketing format this year allows people to purchase tickets in a number of ways, from the traditional hard copy to printing at home. A third option allows people to have their tickets e-mailed to a mobile device, where a bar code can be accessed and scanned directly from a smart phone at the gate. Carnival tickets also can be purchased and scanned from mobile devices. Presale mega-passes for the entire weekend are $50. The carnival takes place on Jackson Avenue, from Main Street to Centennial Beach. Carnival Deal Day is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and includes unlimited rides for $20. "It's bigger and better than ever," Kreger said. "We've been working very hard to bring more rides and more excitement."Family funAt the Sara Lee Family Fun Land, activities for all ages take place throughout the weekend, including a petting zoo, free inflatable jump houses, a free craft tent, a chalk wall to scribble on, a K-9 dog demonstration Saturday and nonstop entertainment on the family stage. Sunday's activities include an opportunity to meet Disney Channel stars Chelsea "Stella" Staub and Nicole "Macy" Anderson from "Jonas L.A." Radio Disney performs at 1 p.m., followed by a chance to meet Staub and Anderson from 2 to 4 p.m. Wristbands will be distributed for the meet and greet beginning at 10 a.m. in the family fun land.Fling mileThe Fling Mile fun run and walk begin at 9:30 a.m. Monday on Mill Street by Naperville North High School. Day-of registration takes place between 8 and 9 a.m. in the Naperville North parking lot for $20. The race concludes at the Eagle Street bridge. "It's a fun run. Anybody who wants to can participate," Kreger said. "We get people young and old."ParadeThe Labor Day Parade steps off at 10 a.m. Monday downtown near Naperville Central High School. Residents are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item that will be collected by a Clark's Car Care float in partnership with Loaves and Fishes. "Hunger is a huge problem in Naperville and this is the largest parade in Illinois for Labor Day," Kreger said. "This is a great opportunity for people to give back." The food drive is in conjunction with this year's theme, "celebrating a lifetime of service." This year's parade has a dramatically different route due to the Jefferson Avenue bridge repairs. It starts at Hillside Road and Webster Street near Naperville Central and works its way north to Aurora Avenue. It heads east on Aurora Avenue to Main Street, turns north on Main Street to Jefferson Avenue and then turns west.It travels a block west on Jefferson then back north on Webster Street and continues down Webster Street to Spring Avenue and concludes on Spring Avenue near Washington Junior High School.Going green In keeping with last year's theme of going green, Last Fling organizers will continue to stress recycling. Additionally, Mitsubishi will display some of its electric vehicles. And, new this year, Tesla Motors will display a high-end electric sports car. "We're very excited to see it," Kreger said. "They're rare at this point."Perfect momentFor the head honchos of Last Fling, the perfect moment comes mid-festival when all the planning has concluded and the fest is a mere matter of execution. "You stand there behind the stage and look out at thousands and thousands of people who are all enjoying themselves responsibly and there is this great energy that builds up," Byrne said."There comes a moment when the band walks out of their trailer and walks up on the stage and plays that first note and somehow everything that has happened in the last year doesn't matter any more. "It is that perfect moment that is the motivating factor. It's everything leading up to it that makes planning it so rewarding." For details about Last Fling, visit www.lastfling.org.If you go What: Naperville Jaycees Last FlingWhen: 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 4-5; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 6 Where: Downtown NapervilleCost: Free; cost associated with some activitiesInfo: www.lastfling.orgLast FlingThe Last Fling runs from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 3; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 4-5; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 6, in downtown Naperville. The festival is sponsored by the Naperville Jaycees in cooperation with the city and park district. Admission to the festival is free, but tickets are required for Main Stage concerts (except for Sept. 6) at Rotary Hill, carnival rides and some other events. Info: www.lastfling.org.FRIDAY5-11 p.m. Carnival6 p.m. Moreland Arbuckle on Main Stage6 p.m. Hey Jimmy on free Entertainment Stage8 p.m. Buddy Guy on Main Stage8 p.m. ipop on free Entertainment StageSATURDAY9 a.m. Big Wheel Race9 a.m. Senior Bingo9:30 a.m. Horseshoe Toss9:30 a.m. UFO's Windy City K-9 Classic10 a.m. American Martial Arts Academy Demonstration10 a.m.-11 p.m. Carnival11 a.m. Cold-Blooded Creatures11 a.m. Bed Races11 a.m. Water Dodge11 a.m. Last Fling Skaters Picnic11 a.m. Super Soccer Shoot-OutNoon Zumba Fitness Demonstration1 p.m. Radio Disney Road Show1 p.m. Highland Games1 p.m. Diaper Derby2 p.m. McNulty Irish Dancers2 p.m. Cadillac Casanovas on free Entertainment Stage2 p.m. Kid's Slam Dunk Contest2 p.m. Four-Legged Follies 3 p.m. Radio Disney Road Show4 p.m. Josh Holmes, featuring his full band, on Main Stage4 p.m. Black Cat Bone on free Entertainment Stage 4 p.m. Dance Dynamics Performance6 p.m. 7th Heaven on Main Stage6 p.m. Girl Next Door on free Entertainment Stage8 p.m. Collective Soul on Main Stage8 p.m. Brother John on free Entertainment StageSUNDAY 9:30 a.m. Ashley Whippet Invitational World Championship9:30 a.m. Talent Show 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Carnival10 a.m. American Martial Arts Academy Demonstration11 a.m. Cold-Blooded Creatures11 a.m. Pie-Eating Contest11:30 a.m. Apple Pie Bake-OffNoon Wine TastingNoon The Amazing Tim Adamz "The Family Magicians"1 p.m. Radio Disney Road Show1 p.m. Rib Cook-Off1 p.m. Strong Man Contest2 p.m. Meet and greet with Chelsea Staub and Nicole Anderson, stars of "Jonas L.A." on the Disney Channel2 p.m. 3 in Country on free Entertainment Stage2 p.m. Spaghetti-Eating Contest 4 p.m. Jason The Haymakers on Main Stage4 p.m. One More Time on free Entertainment Stage 6 p.m. Annabelle Road on Main Stage6 p.m. Pistol Pete on free Entertainment Stage 8 p.m. Clint Black on Main Stage8 p.m. The Karen Hart Band on free Entertainment StageMONDAY9:30 a.m. Fling Mile race begins at Naperville North High School, 899 N. Mill St.10 a.m. Labor Day Parade steps off near Naperville Central High School and ends at Washington Junior High School10 a.m.-6 p.m. Carnival2 p.m. Righteous Hillbillies on Main Stage2 p.m. The Georgetown Band on free Entertainment Stage4 p.m. Kimi Hayes Band on Main Stage4 p.m. Michael Heaton Band on free Entertainment StageFalse9391224Blues legend Buddy Guy performs Friday night to help open the Naperville Jaycees 2010 Last Fling celebration in downtown Naperville. Guy will appear at 8 p.m. on the festival's Main Stage near Rotary Hill, along the Riverwalk.Daily Herald file photoFalse <div class="infoBox"><h1>More Coverage</h1><div class="infoBoxContent"><div class="infoArea"><h2>Stories</h2><ul class="links"><li><a href="/story/?id=404763">Naperville Jaycees to honor its founding father <span class="date">[09/01/10]</span></a></li></ul></div></div></div>