You’d be hard-pressed to find an event more jam-packed with things to do than the Yorktown Hometown Days Festival, which returns Sept. 1-4 to Beecher Community Park for its 29th year.
Hours are from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on September 1; 5-10pm September 2; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. September 3; and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on September 4.
The four-day festival features carnival rides, live music, food vendors, and kids’ activities, as you’d expect. But it’s also full of daily community-oriented activities that offer something a little different for festival-goers.
“We fill our schedule with ‘mini-events’ within the festival to give people different experiences and activities throughout the day,” said Shay Remus, recreation superintendent for the Yorkville Parks and Recreation Department, which organizes the festival “We’re also trying to make this festival affordable so you can basically come to the festival, not spend a dime, and still have a fun-filled day of entertainment.”
Some of these activities include scavenger hunts, trivia contests, bounce houses, a dog parade, cutest baby contest, car show, ax throwing, beer tasting and mechanical bull riding to name a few -some of them
“I think what makes this festival unique is that it offers a variety of alternative activities, rather than your standard carnival, band and beer,” said Remus. “We always look to create a well-rounded entertainment program. We also try to consider other interests and activities that people of all ages in the Yorkville community would enjoy.”
The festival kicks off on a Thursday night with a barbecue dinner and a performance by the Yorkville Big Band.
The carnival opens at 5pm on Friday, which also marks the start of the Ultimate Air Dog competition, an event that draws large crowds to watch the dogs compete as they jump from a dock to catch a Frisbee before hit a pool of water.
“It’s been a huge hit with us for the last five years or so that they’ve been attending,” Remus said. “They bring a lot of excitement and energy to the festival.”
For live music, Tasha Layton will perform at 6.15pm on the main stage, followed by Rhett Walker at 8pm. Both nationally touring musicians have had hits on the Christian music charts.
Saturday’s musicians include Little Mermen, a Disney cover band, from noon to 2 p.m. The Country Night, known for covering new country music and classic hits, will take the stage from 3 to 6 p.m. Fool House, a 90s cover band, will perform from 7 to 10 p.m.
On Sunday, Beatles tribute band American English takes the main stage from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by popular Chicago-area group Maggie Speaks from 2 to 4 p.m. The Boy Band Review, a group that covers boy bands from NSYNC to One Direction. , will strut their stuff from 5 to 7 p.m., and ’80s cover band Hi Infidelity will close out the festival with their performance from 8 to 10 p.m.
Other highlights of the festival include a baby contest on Friday night, where parents can bring their children under 18 months to compete in categories including craziest hair, chubbiest cheeks, biggest personality and bigger smile
On Saturday, the Strut Your Mutt contest invites dog owners to show off their pets and compete in various categories. Also on Saturday, for the first time, is the Adult Date Night, an event aimed at couples, with activities such as ax throwing, mechanical bull riding, a bag tournament, a 90s trivia contest and a tasting of craft beer.
“This is new this year, and we’re really excited to bring it to the festival,” Remus said. “We wanted a way to get more adults involved in letting loose and having fun.”
Sunday’s highlights include a classic car show, featuring music from a live DJ, and a homemade pinewood derby competition.
Remus expects 20,000 to 25,000 people to attend the festival over the weekend, and attributes the event’s success over the years to the community’s long involvement.
“We wouldn’t have grown the way we have without their support,” he said. “We have several entities that participate in the festival, including the Junior Women’s Club, which hosts the craft show, the public library, which holds a used book fair, and the Boy Scouts, which organizes the climbing wall.
“We also see great support from local businesses participating as vendors and sponsors,” he said. “We are fortunate to have a community that comes together for this end of summer ‘fest’.”
One of her favorite parts of the festival is the kid-focused Music and Mingle on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. It features a song with Disney musical hits and appearances by some well-known characters.
“It’s a unique experience to meet eight different characters, collect stickers and win a prize while listening to a Disney cover band,” he said. “It’s really magical when you see these kids light up. Not every kid gets to go to Disney, so this is a way to bring some of the magic to Yorkville.”
Yorkville Hometown Days Festival
When: from September 1 to 4
Where: Beecher Community Park, 908 Game Farm Road, Yorkville
Admission: $2 after 3pm on September 3 and 4; the rest of the hours: free
Information: 630-553-4350; yorkville.il.us
Jeff Banowetz is a freelance reporter for the Beacon-News.
