Summer officially started in Western Springs Friday with the 23rd annual Gathering on the Green.
The Western Springs Business Association sponsored the free event, which featured food, music, beer and wine, and children’s games and activities. Kristin Hettinga of the WSBA said the event “is our primary family-friendly event of the year and a great kick-off to summer.”
She said new in 2017 were some vendors, a balloon artist and headliners the Bono Bros. Hettinga also said the various booths and tents “were spaced out differently this year to create a better flow.”
Boy Scout Troop 3 of Western Springs sold cotton candy at the event.
“We earn scout bucks with the proceeds from this booth,” said Boy Scout Lucas Pender, 11. “We can use the bucks to buy uniforms and scout equipment.”
Local vendors including BB’s Baby Donuts, Kirschbaum’s Bakery, Tropical Sno, Davanti Enoteca, Hillgrove Tap and the Western Springs Fruit Store also sold food.
Picnic tables were set out for dining and some residents brought along their own fare.
Western Springs resident Florence Vlk brought “food from Mariano’s” to share with husband Frank and children Nancy, Charles, Norah and Ceci.
“We come to relax and talk to neighbors and listen to the music,” Vlk said.
Adam Kane, 12, said he came to the gathering “to watch the School of Rock perform, eat food and be with friends.”
Casey Moran, also 12, said she had come to the event before and has always enjoyed the petting zoo and horses.
“I like to watch the Trinity Irish dancers and play games with my friends,” she said.
The Western Springs library had a booth to encourage children to read and they provided an activity to make badges and spin the wheel for prizes. Librarian Heather Booth said they also had books to give away to children.
“The books are either donated by publishers or are being retired from stock,” she said.
Other activities for kids included laser tag, a climbing wall, airbrush tattoos, face-painting and an area for smaller children with ride-on toys, chalk and bubbles.
Western Springs resident Lauren Smith, along with daughter Tessa, 3, came to watch her daughter Clara, 5, dance with the Trinity Irish Dancers. Smith said it was her third year attending the gathering.
“It gets better every year,” she said. “My daughter is getting her face painted and the girls are enjoying hamburgers and hot dogs.”
Another popular booth for children and adults was the “Smooch the Pooch” booth, where a donation got attendees a kiss with a cute dog. The booth was run by Boone Animal Hospital.
“We thought this would be popular with kids, but the moms want to smooch the dogs, too,” said hospital manager Brenda Smaller. “We change up every hour so the dogs don’t have to work so hard.”
Smaller said money collected at the booth will be donated to the West Suburban Humane Society.
Entertainment started with a comedy magic performance by Frankie Ace, followed by the Trinity Irish Dancers, and then house bands from The School of Rock. The event closed out with headliners the Bono Bros playing classic rock and blues.
School of Rock director of marketing and sales Joanna Vassilatos said the kids playing at the event were groups of kids from Elmhurst and Hinsdale.
“They do an awesome job of playing and singing,” Vassilatos said.
Diana Dachota is a freelance reporter.
