Doc Haznow's Chili Open
Golf Tournament
Crystal Lake Park District Main Beach
January 28, 2000 (attendance: 2,000)
At this annual event, started in 1970, two 9-hole, par 32 courses are plowed on the frozen waters of Crystal Lake. Holes are marked with "recycled" Christmas trees. Golfers of all ages from across Illinois participate and enjoy free, hot chili after their round. Participants build and decorate golf sleds to haul their clubs, grills and coolers around the frozen course.

On the frozen waters of Crystal Lake,
here's a scene from Doc Haznow's Chili Open
Golf Tournament, the Crystal Lake Park District's
answer to cabin fever.

Smelt Fest, sponsored by the Park
District of Highland Park and Breadsmith of
Highland Park, maximizes smelt season in late-April

September/October 2000 / 31

S P E C I A L    F O C U S

Railroad Daze in Franklin Park, "the Needle
Eye" of the railroad, dedicates two full days of
train rides and displays For train-lovers of all ages.

Skokie Festival of Cultures
Skokie Park District
Oakton Park
May 20-21, 2000 (attendance 30,000)
A trip around the world! Ethnic food, global entertainment, ethnic arts and crafts, camel rides, children's activities. This annual event (since 1991) has grassroots planning with committee of 70+ volunteers representing more than 20 cultural groups. (See photo collage on page 16.)

Heritage Festival
Round Lake Area Park District
Harts Woods
May 27-28, 2000 (2,500 in 1999)
Annually since 1996, this festival features people from days past in period dress, demonstrating and sharing their lifestyles and cultures. This sharing of knowledge is called "first person interpretive history." History comes alive with settler families, children's trading post, games and crafts, and storytellers.

2000 Fest: A Multicultural Block Party
Northbrook Park District Village Green Park
June 9-10, 2000 (attendance: 2,500+)
The festival provides the opportunity for people to learn more about their neighbors and develop an appreciation for their differences and helped to unify the community. Participants enjoy roaming entertainers, an international food village, world games area, international crafts, Hoffman's Kingdom of Animals, inflatable games, face painting and exhibits in the World Market Place Show and Sell tent. (See photographs on the cover of this issue of Illinois Parks & Recreation.)

The Will County Forest Preserve's Island Rendezvous is
devoted to the fur trade that existed between
Native Americans and French-Canadian Voyageurs 250 years ago.

Island Rendezvous
Will County Forest Preserve District
Isle a la Cache Museum
June 10-11,2000 (2,500 both days)
The Island Rendezvous features a little-known period of Midwestern history. For nearly 200 years, traders from Canada penetrated the interior of the continent to barter for beaver pelts, which were greatly prized in Europe. These interactions were among the first between whites and Native Americans and resulted in an exchange of cultures. By informing the public about this part of our heritage the Island Rendezvous bridges a gap of 250 years. Visitors can walk through a voyager encampment, experience a tomahawk throw, black-powder musket demonstration, and canoe race, and enjoy ongoing period music and children's activities.

Jubilee
Woodridge Park District
Center Drive and Woodridge Drive
June 14-18, 2000 (20,000-25,000)
Annually since 1984, this fun festival features a carnival, musical entertainment, bingo, food and beverages, children's activities and socializing with friends and neighbors. Each year thousands of coupons are dropped from a helicopter and kids race to retrieve coupons to be redeemed for prizes donated from local businesses. A Fishing Derby encourages all ages to come out for fun and to win some great prizes for catching the largest fish.

32 / Illinois Parks and Recreation

PrairieFest
Oswegoland Park District
June 15-18, 2000 (attendance: 30,000)
The Oswegoland Park District, along with more than 100 business sponsors, community organizations, youth groups and government agencies pull together to pull off one of the best hometown festivals around, annually since 1989. Oswego is the second fastest-growing community in the state of Illinois and PrairieFest organizers work very hard to Maintain the small-town, hometown feel of

Photo at top: One reason the Oswegoland Park District's Prairie Fest is so successful is its 100-plus sponsors for this two-day family affair. Photo at bottom: Artwork created by Chris Camp of Duo Design for the brochure for the 34th Annual International Carrillion Festival of the Springfield Park District.

Patriots In The Park
Granite City Park District
Wilson Park
July 1-4, 2000 (attendance: 30,000)
Started in 1997, the Patriots In The Park celebration has become the second most popular Independence Day event in the St. Louis area (second only to Fair St. Louis). It is a wholesome, alcoholic-free, family-oriented event with a salute to our country while the sky is filled with red, white and blue explosions of fireworks and music.

Waukegan Heritage Festival
Waukegan Park District Bowen Park
July 2, 2000 (attendance: 6,000-8,000)
Held annually since 1990, this festival is family-oriented, offering food and drink for purchase and everything else for free (e.g., a 20-species petting zoo, camel and lama rides, arts and crafts, music from the main stage or the children's with talent from all over).

International Carillon Festival
Springfield Park District
Washington Park
July 2-7, 2000 (attendance: 14,500)
Internationally known artists from around the world play carillon recitals each evening. This year, the festival's 39th annual event, festival- goers heard music from 13 different countries with carillonneurs featured in both the competition and the festival.

Independence Day Festival
Channahon Park District
Community Park July 4, 2000 (attendance: 10,000)
Held annually since 1983, this community-oriented festival starts at 9:00 a.m. with a fun run event and a brunch in the park, plus activities throughout the day for all ages and a band and fireworks in the evening. The intent of this festival is not to be a large attraction with carnival rides and the like, but rather an opportunity for the community to gather for a day of fun with "picnic-type" fun games for all.

Sounds of Summer
Urbana Park District
Crystal Lake Park
July 7-8; 14-15, 2000 (21,500-23,500)
Annual since 1998, this festival features fantastic live music highlighting the rich and diverse talent of local performers as well as national headliners. Free arts activities enrich the festival experience, particularly for families and children with the Chalk It Up program, the Sounds of Summer Sculpture contest and the Free Kid's Only Art Studio tent. This event has a long history including both title and format changes, but it's always been regarded as the city's premiere music festival, with high-caliber music brought to the city's best park.

Terry Moran Family Day and
Softball Tournament
Rolling Meadows Park District
Kimball Hill Park
July 15, 2000 (attendance: 3,500)
This annual event, started in 1994, is a 16-inch softball tournament with 40 men's teams and six women's teams with family activities, food vending, musical entertainment, children's games and activities. The festival was started by a family who wanted to honor the untimely death of a loved one. His participation in softball and love for his family was celebrated through the development of this event. Family members, friends and team members came together with donations and volunteer hours. The event has netted $72,000 in the six years of existence and the money has all been donated to The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

(continued on page 34)

September/October 2000 / 33

S P E C I A L    F O C U S

Irish Fest
Arlington Heights Park District
Arlington Heights Historical Museum
July 16, 2000 (attendance: 2,000)
Started in 1999, the annual Irish Fest celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the Emerald Isles. Visitors experience traditional and contemporary Irish music and dance, learn about Irish history and culture through displays and demonstrations, and can purchase authentic Irish food and merchandise. The fest showcases local and regional talent, but has also attracted nationally known acts.

Autumn Pioneer Festival
Boone County Conservation District Festival
Grounds in Belvidere
September 23-24, 2000 (11,000 in 1999)
Offered free since 1981, the festival involves re-enactment, demonstrations and interpretations of lifestyles and crafts of the early 1800s (pre-1830). It portrays a family, hometown atmosphere including authentic food, family activities and demonstrative-period clothing, authentic log cabins, food court. Native American village.

Apple Festival
Wildwood Park District
Rule Park
September 30, 2000 (1,800 in 1999)
Apple Festival is a yearly "thank you" to the residents of Wildwood for passing the referendum that allowed the park district to acquire its home park and offices. The active role of numerous community groups and park district volunteers makes this event very special and very successful. Apple Festival's family-oriented themes, free entertainment and games, and its serene location on Gages Lake is what makes Apple Festival the best in the community.

The Grove Folk Fest
Glenview Park District
The Grove National Historic Landmark
October 1, 2000 (2,000 in 1998)
The Grove Folk Fest, annually since 1979, brings together all that The Grove National Historic Landmark has to offer: a natural setting with forest, plants, wetlands and an abundance of animals who live in this ecologically rich nature preserve, architectural structures which are representative of Grove settlers, the Interpretive Center which houses scientific specimens, educational classes, and an assortment of live animals and aviary. The event features pioneer skill and craft demonstrations, nature walks, square dancing, continuous live folk music, handmade gift and craft items for sale, outdoor dining on hearty food, and tours of historic Grove homes.

Photo: Pioneer skills and craft demonstrations take place in early
October at The Grove Folk Fest held at The Grove National
Historic Landmark in Glenview.

Danoda Fall Festival
DuPage County Forest Preserve
Danada Forest Preserve, Wheaton October 8, 2000 (14,000 in 1999)
The term "A Celebration of the Horse" best describes the Danada Fall Festival. Visitors to this annual event can see riding and horse-breed demonstrations, and learn about horse care, feeding, grooming, shoeing and tack. A drill team of the Danada Equestrian Center's volunteers and horses performs a synchronize musical routine. Everyone can enjoy the Danada grounds while taking in some folk music and fall foods. This free event gives thousands of DuPage County residents a chance to learn something new about horses, regardless of their knowledge level. For those interested in simply spending a pleasant fall afternoon, the event is equally enjoyable.

Scarecrow Festival
St. Charles Park District
Downtown area and Lincoln and
Pottawatomie Parks
October 13-15, 2000 (100,000+ in 1999)
Scarecrow Festival is a nationally known event celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2000. Lincoln Park offers a free family festival with live entertainment. Families may view over 100 truly whimsical scarecrow displays, make their own scarecrow, and vote for their favorite. Children will enjoy special activities and a carnival. In Pottawatomie Park, approximately 200 crafters offer their items at the famous juried Autumn on the Fox Art & Craft Show along the scenic Fox River. This festival was awarded one of the Top 100 Events in North America for 2000 by the American Bus Association. (See cover photo.)

Pumpkinfest
Streamwood Park District
Hoosier Grove Park
October 14, 2000 (1.000+ in 1999)
Hoosier Grove Park was once the home to the Landmeier pumpkin farm in Streamwood. The Landmeier family would sell their pumpkins along Irving Park Road each fall. In 1988 when the park district purchased the farm and the Landmeier's moved further west, the district decided to uphold the pumpkin tradition. Each year the park district purchases pumpkins from the Landmeier family and sells them along Irving Park Road just as their family used to because this site is traditionally known for pumpkins. Other events: Pumpkin carving contest (all ages), pumpkin decorating, kiddie run, pumpkin lunch, pumpkin moonwalk, hay rides, pumpkin pie eating contest, fall family portraits and more. •

ILLINOIS PARKS & RECREATION
magazine thanks all agencies that responded to its survey of the BEST festivals. All entries submitted were printed unless the festival is a first-time event that has yet to take place in 2000.

34 / Illinois Parks and Recreation