Blooming Fest blossoms in West Chicago May 21
One of West Chicago's favorite traditions, Blooming Fest, returns on Saturday, May 21, after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
The annual garden festival is held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. outdoors along Main Street in the downtown area of West Chicago.
Gardening enthusiasts, and everyone else, are welcome to come explore the history of the downtown area while viewing a variety of plants, artwork, and other goods from event vendors.
Apart from the vendors, the festival also features a large selection of food vendors, live music, and activities the whole family can enjoy.
Food vendors include: Sugar Mama's, Kool Kat Ice Cream, Charboys/International House of Sauces & Seasonings, Kindred Coffee, Nuts to Go, Flyin Hawaiian, La Humita, PT Snacks, Kurtos R US. LLC, Churro Babes, Extract Juicery, Poupee Puf, Lincoln Land Kettle Corn, Tamale Express, Smallcakes Elmhurst, Little Jimmy's Italian Ice, and Dragon Fire Coffee Roasters.
The entertainment stage opens with a ceremony at 9 a.m., followed by the Gary Chorus from 9:30 to 10 a.m. It will be followed by guitarist and vocalist Dillon Riley from 10 a.m. to noon, and a kickboxing demo from noon to 12:45 p.m.
Miss Jamie's Farm and the Garden Friends offer a kids educational musical performance from 1 to 1:45 p.m., followed by Mariachi los Rayos de Leman Middle School from 2 to 2:30 p.m. and the West Chicago High School Alegria Dance Group from 2:30 to 3 p.m. There will be an artist demo by Marge Hall.
See the "Art in Full Bloom" exhibit at Gallery 200, 103 W. Washington St., on display in the month of May. The display highlights the beautiful artwork of nine artists, who are Margaret Bucholz, Marge Hall, Judi Horsley, Kathi Kuchler, Sharon Malec, Heide Morris, Laurie Parker, Britta Renwick and Marita Valdizan. Using a variety of mediums, artists display the delights of spring with flowers, butterflies, garden art, and more. You can also see the "Alebrijes Creature of a Dream World" exhibit is on display at Gallery 200. It is a sneak preview of the fantasy animals that will be on display at Cantigny this summer.
There will be a balloon twister from noon to 3 p.m. at the corner of Main and Galena.
Stop by the West Chicago Garden Club plant sale, talk with the University of Illinois Extension DuPage Master Gardeners, and check out the Ball Horticulture Van.
To see a list of vendors or learn more about the festival, go to bloomingfest.org or www.facebook.com/BloomingFest/
Later in the evening, the West Chicago Elementary School District 33 Ballet Folklorico will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, in the school cafetorium.
Parking is available at city hall, 475 Main St.; Metra train station, 508 Main St.; Republic Bank, 101 Main St.; District 94's administrative office, 157 W. Washington St.; and West Chicago Bible Church commuter lot, 222 Chicago St.
Watch out for street closures: Galena Street between Main Street and Tye Court on Friday, May 20, beginning at 10 a.m. through Saturday, May 21, at 6 p.m.; and Main Street from Chicago Street to West Washington Street on Saturday, May 21, from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.