Warm breezes make Winterfest a blast

As temperatures climbed above 50 degrees, families ended their long winter's hibernation Saturday at Lake Villa Township's first Winterfest, held in Caboose Park.

"I've lived here 51 years, and this is the first time there's been such a great event for kids," said Cindy Hamm, who brought her 6-year-old great niece and her 3-year-old great nephew.

Kids posed for pictures in the cab of a snowplow with an 11-foot blade, made crafts and searched for treasure in the snow. Families also enjoyed music and hot cocoa and munched on hot dogs and popcorn.

"We came to Winterfest to have some fun," said Donna Walsh.

The phrase "cabin fever" took on new meaning this winter as Mother Nature served up frigid temperatures and lots of snow, said Lake Villa Township Supervisor Dan Venturi.

"We decided to hold Winterfest so that families could head outdoors and get over their cabin fever. We never expected the weather to be this nice," he said.

A few events, such as snow sculpting, daddy/dog sled races and sledding, were scrapped due to lack of snow, but crafts, broomball and hunting for treasure kept children busy.

Sherry Brendel of Antioch watched as her three granddaughters, Emma Esler, 11, Sofie Esler, 8, and Lorelei Esler, 5, decorated foam door hangers for her.

"They are having so much fun," she said.

Township employees used snow-making machines to stockpile mounds of snow that Boy Scouts Sam Verga, 16 and Ben Venturi, 17, fashioned into an igloo.

Verga and Venturi, both juniors at Lakes Community High School, learned how to make the igloo during a recent winter training class held by Boy Scouts of America's Northeast Illinois Council.

"It's used as a way to survive the cold," Verga said.

Admission to Winterfest was a nonperishable food item for the Lake Villa Township Food Pantry.