Summer suburban festivals 2010

Sorry I haven't put this up before! Please let me know if I missed any... It's festival season in the suburbs!

JUNE
24-27: Bloomington Gold Corvette Show, Pheasant Run, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. $17 One Day Pass ($15 for Corvette owners), $40 Three Day Pass. Kids 13 and under are admitted free. All Corvettes, all the time.
22-27: Free! Midsommar Festival Swedish Days, 3rd Street, Geneva. Crafts, food, parade, music, carnival, more.
25-27: Free! Strawberry Fest, Robert Parker Coffin Rd, Long Grove.


JULY
2-4: Eyes to the Skies Balloon Festival, IL-53 & Short St, Lisle. $5, free under age 5. Hot air balloon launches, nationally known music, a carnival (July 30-July 4) and fireworks at the biggest suburban summer celebration.
8-11: Rockin' Ribfest, Miller Park, Lake in the Hills. Ribs, music, more.
8-11: Free! Itasca Fest, Washington Park, Itasca. Carnival, food, music, kids' activities, more.
10-11: Free! Art in the Park, 1320 Shermer, Northbrook. Art, sculpture, jewelry, food, music, kids activities, more.
12: Barrington Microbrew Fest, Main & Barrington Rds, Barrington. $30. 3-7 p.m.
16-18: Free! Art at the Shops, Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard. Art, live music, food, more.
16-18: Big Greek Food Festival, St. Haralambos Church, 7373 Caldwell Ave. , Niles. $2 ($1 for seniors, free for kids); free for all 3-5 p.m. both days.
17-18: Free! Buffalo Grove Invitational Fine Art Festival, 120 McHenry Rd., Buffalo Grove. Art, food, entertainment, more.
17-18: Free! Ethnic Arts Festival, 1700 Sheridan Rd., Evanston. Ethnic art, food and music in a lakefront setting.
23-25: Free! Pierogi Fest, 1900 Indianapolis Blvd., Whiting, Ind. Pierogis, polka bands, a parade and more.

AUGUST
7-8: Free! Art at the Glen Town Center, Glenview. Art, live music, food, kids activities and more. Ranked as one of the top art festivals in the U.S.
13-15: West Suburban Italian Festival, Centennial Park, Addison. $3-$7. Food, entertainment, merchandise, more.
13-15: Free! Prairie Fest, Wood Dale Rd & Commercial St., Wood Dale. Food, live music, carnival, pet parade, fireworks.


SEPTEMBER
3-6: Last Fling, Naperville. $10-$12 for Mainstage events; free on Monday, and for kids 3 and under. Live music, a carnival, beer, kids activities and a Labor Day parade.
11-12: Free! Downtown Downers Grove Art Festival, Main Street Downers Grove.
10-12: Free! Festival of the Vine, 3rd Street, Geneva. Wine tastings (free and paid), crafts, food, entertainment.
25-27: Free! Fall Fest, Lee St. from Touhy to Howard, Des Plaines. Food, beer, games (including daily baggo tournaments), car shows, a market and live entertainment in Lake Park.

More fall fun in the 'burbs

Some of these are repeats, but others are new... big thanks to the Juice Box!

SHADES OF AUTUMN
Every weekend through Nov. 1, Stade’s Farm and Market, McHenry
Experience a day on the farm with corn maze, pumpkin picking, barrel train, crafters, pedal cars and more.
Information: www.shadesofautumn.net or 815-675-6396


CARNIVAL OF CURIOSITIES
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October, Navy Pier, Chicago
Explore as a traveling sideshow overtakes Navy Pier with a spectacle of circus feats and living human wonders.
Information: www.navypier.com or 800-595-PIER

LONG GROVE APPLE FESTIVAL
Oct. 2-4, downtown Long Grove
Festival features “make your own taffy apple” booths, apple martinis, caramel apple lattes and other apple-inspired treats, kids’ activities and live music.
Information: www.longgroveonline.com/apple.html or call 847-634-0888

HARVEST FESTIVAL
Oct. 3-4, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe
Visitors will find a marketplace of baked goods, roasted nuts, cut flowers, handmade soaps and vegetables. Enjoy activities, such as “guess the weight of the pumpkin,” a straw bale maze and leaf rubbing crafts.
Information: www.chicagobotanic.org or 847-835-5440

FRIGHT FEST AT SIX FLAGS GREAT AMERICA
Oct. 3-31, Gurnee
Great America is transformed into a Halloween playground. Shows, street entertainment and haunted houses featured.
Information: www.sixflags.com

CIDER FESTIVAL
Oct. 4, Union
Musical entertainment by “Charlie B. and Friends” as well as apple head doll crafts, a barn raising, harvest demonstrations, blacksmithing and old-fashioned cider making.
Information: www.mchs online.org or 815-923-2267

SCARECROW FESTIVAL
Oct. 9-11, downtown St. Charles
Three-day fest includes a children’s carnival, craft show, live music and more than 100 hand-crafted scarecrows.
Information: www.scarecrowfest.com or 800-777-4373

SETTLER’S DAYS
Oct. 8-12, Marengo
Parade as well as arts and crafts, petting zoo, carnival rides, antique tractor display, car show food and entertainment.
Information: settlersdays.org or 815-568-6680

OLD TIME COUNTRY HARVEST FESTIVAL
Oct. 10, downtown Algonquin
Event features farmers’ market, children’s games, pumpkin contest, craft fair and more.
Information: www.downtownalgonquin.org or 847-658-4184

FALL DIDDLEY
Oct. 10-11, Boone County Fairgrounds, Belvidere
Juried arts and crafts show will offer hand-crafted items. Event benefits the Mental Health Resource League for McHenry County and includes hundreds of booths, as well as food vendors.
Information: www.mhrl.org or 815-385-5745

HAUNTED HARVEST
Oct. 10-31, Lambs Farm, Libertyville
Event features Train of Terror, transforming the farmyard with frightening activities, including the CreatureWalk, Graveyard Golf, an Enchanted Carousel and the Monster Midway.
Information: www.lambsfarm.org or 847 990-3750

AUTUMN DRIVE
Oct. 16-18, Garden Valley Road between Woodstock and Marengo
Annual event offers the chance to drive a real country road to a dozen rural McHenry County farms. Various stops offer antiques, arts and crafts, pumpkins and other surprises.
Information: www.autumndrive.net

LONG GROVE OKTBERFEST
Oct. 17-18, Long Grove
Celebration of Long Grove’s German heritage with ethnic food, dancing, live entertainment and shopping.
Information: www.longgroveonline.com or 847-634-0888

SYCAMORE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL
Oct. 21-25, Sycamore
Fest features a pumpkin display, scary stories, carnival and craft show.
Information: www.sycamore pumpkinfestival.com

HISTORIC HALLOWEEN PROGRAM
Oct. 21, McHenry County Historical Museum, Union
Listen to stories told by interpreters portraying Union veterans who formed the Grand Army of the Republic Associations after the Civil War.
Information: mchsonline.org or 815-923-2267

Fall festivals in the suburbs

Yes, this weekend is Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end to summer. But have no fear! That does not mean the outdoor fun is over! Quite the contrary, it just means that the festivals are shifting to more of a fall theme...

Here's a small selection of suburban fests. Got more? Post them in the comments or shoot me an e-mail at suburbanawesome [at] gmail.com



Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 5-7)
Buffalo Grove Days
50 Raupp Blvd., Buffalo Grove
Free

Long Grove Irish Days
Downtown Long Grove
Free

Naperville's Last Fling
Riverwalk, Naperville
Free

Sept. 6-7
Folk Music & Storytelling Festival
Island Park in Geneva
$15 per day for adults, $10 for teens and elders, free for 12 and younger

Sept. 11-13
Festival of the Vine
Downtown Geneva
Free; some samplings cost money

Itasca Oktoberfest
Downtown Itasca
Free

Sept. 13
Scandinavian Day Festival
Vasa Park, Route 31, South Elgin
Traditional food, crafts, games, gifts and entertainment.
$10 adults. Children 12 and younger admitted free. Free parking. Rain or shine.

Sept. 18-19
Naperville Wine Festival
523 S. Webster St., Naperville
$20 in advance, $25 at the door for adults, $10 in advance, $15 at the door Designated Driver; under 21 admitted free when accompanied by an adult

Sept. 25-27
Fall Fest Des Plaines
Lake Park, Des Plaines
Free

Itasca Art & Wine Festival
Downtown Itasca
Free

Oct. 2-4
Long Grove Apple Festival
Downtown Long Grove
Free

Oct. 9-11
St. Charles Scarecrow Festival
Lincoln Park, Main and Fourth streets, St. Charles
Free

Oct. 16-18
Long Grove OktoberFest
Downtown Long Grove
Free

Yep, still alive

Dear blog readers,

Yes, I am alive! As far as I know, so are my co-authors, though I have not heard from them recently.

Work has been busy, family stuff has gotten in the way, and I have been remiss in blogging. Which is a shame, since there is still so much going on in the warm weather!

I would like to highlight an event next weekend: The Wood Dale Prairie Fest. They've rebranded their "Family Fun Days" as a more traditional summer festival. It runs next weekend, Aug. 14-16, at the "town square" area next to the police department and the town pool.

We went to this event last year, and honestly weren't that impressed, but it promises to be bigger and better last year, with a decent array of food vendors, music, fireworks and other entertainment. So if you're looking for a smallish, family-friendly festival, the Prairie Fest should fit the bill.

Itasca Fest, bigger than you might think

Well, we checked out the Itasca Fest, and I'm pleased to say it's a pretty good-sized festival. Parking was a little difficult to figure out, but there were plenty of spaces; the carnival was a lot bigger than you would expect for such a small town. Tons of rides and games, plus traditional carnival food and offerings from local eateries. It was a lovely day outside, too. The 4-year-old with us had a great time on the multiple kid-friendly rides, and there were fun ones for adults, too.

The NASA exhibit was neat. It was basically just a trailer, but had multiple interactive computer exhibits, trying out dexterity with big gloves on, and a scale to tell you how much you would weigh on the moon, Venus or Mars. Plus a genuine moon rock to stare at for awhile. :)

For good old-fashioned carnival rides, local eats and something to do on a summer day, Itasca Fest fit the bill.

Itasca Fest -- Small-town fun

Tomorrow (not tonight, since unfortunately I'm guessing it will be rained out) we'll be checking out the 20th annual Itasca Fest. It runs Thurs-Sun, and features free entertainment, kiddie rides, food, displays, a flea market and more. What I'm especially looking forward to is a 50-foot NASA-sponsored trailer that purports to feature a nifty exhibit.

Itasca is small, but it's a cute little town, and their downtown is worth seeing. I'll report more on the festival in a couple days; if you want more info on the fest, visit the Itasca village website.

Stuff to do this weekend

Looking for something cool (and I mean that figuratively, not literally) to do this week or weekend? Geneva's Annual Midsommar Festival (Swedish Days) is now underway in the charming far-west suburb.

Check that website for a list of events and vendors, but basically, it's a big street festival. Carnival rides, food booths, Swedish crafts, music, you name it. Good stuff. Authentic Swedish food, too.

A few tips, though: If you can take the Metra, I strongly suggest it. Parking is not normally a problem in Geneva, but it sure is during Swedish Days. The train station is right on the edge of the festival action, and makes getting to and from much easier. And trust me, you won't find a parking space that's any closer than the train unless you actually live in downtown Geneva.

Also, it will be HOT this week and weekend. Take some frozen water bottles. Drink plenty, dress appropriately, and pace yourself. There are plenty of air conditioned shops, bars and restaurants to stop into to cool down a little. Sunscreen is also highly recommended.

That said, this is one of my favorite festivals -- it can get a little crowded, but it's well organized and there's plenty to see and do. And if you happen to see three 20somethings walking around, including a guy in a Lost bucket hat, that's probably my husband and I'll be right beside him :)

Festival Season in the Suburbs

Finally, a non-review post!

Looking for some great things to do this summer? Chicago itself has no shortage of festivals, all summer long. But so do the suburbs.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. If you know of more, feel free to e-mail me or post in the comments.

This is starting with June, since May is nearly over...

JUNE
12-14: Free! Pride of the Fox RiverFest in St. Charles
19-20: Scottish Festival and Highland Games in Oak Brook
20-21: Free! Cantigny Fine Art Festival in Wheaton
20-21: Custer's Last Stand Festival of the Arts in Evanston
23-28: Free! Swedish Days Midsommer Festival in Geneva
25-28: Bloomington Gold Corvette Show in St. Charles
26-28: Free! Long Grove Strawberry Festival
27-28: Fountain Square Art Festival in Evanston
27-28: Free! Glencoe Festival of the Masters

JULY
1-5: Free! Eyes to the Skies Balloon Festival in Lisle
2-5: Ribfest in Naperville
3-5: Free! Wheeling Freedom Fest
4: Lake Forest Festival and Fireworks
9-12: Free! West Chicago Railroad Days
10-11: Taste of Park Ridge
11-12: Free! Art in the Park - A Northbrook Fine Arts Festival
11-12: Free! Skokie Art Fair
11-Sept. 7: Bristol Renaissance Fair in Kenosha, Wis.
11-12: Free! Lincolnshire Art Festival
15-19: Kane County Fair in St. Charles
17-19: The Big Greek Food Festival of Niles
18-19: Free! Buffalo Grove Invitational Fine Art Festival
18-19: Free! Ethnic Arts Festival in Evanston
22-26: DuPage County Fair in Wheaton
25-26: North Shore Festival of Art in Skokie
28-Aug. 2: Lake County Fair in Grayslake
29-Aug. 2: Kankakee County Fair
30-Aug. 2: Kendall County Fair and 4H Show in Yorkville

AUGUST
1-2: Free! Evanston Lakeshore Arts Festival
6-9: Free! Mendota Sweet Corn Festival
8-9: Free! Art at the Glen in Glenview
8-9: Free! Kite Festival in Glencoe
14-23: Illinois State Fair in Springfield
15-16: Free! Long Grove Art and Wine Fest
15-16: Free! Malott Japanese Garden Summer Festival in Glencoe
26-30: Will County Fair in Peotone
28-30: Free! Taste of Highland Park
29-30: Free! Port Clinton Art Festival in Highland Park

SEPTEMBER
3-7: Free! Tri-County Fair in Mendota
4-7: The Last Fling in Naperville
5-7: Free! Long Grove Irish Days
5-7: Free! Schaumburg Septemberfest
9-13: Sandwich Fair
11-13: Free! Oktoberfest in Glenview
11-13: Free! Festival of the Vine, Geneva

For more information, towns' chamber of commerce websites or a quick google can be helpful :)