Brycelyn Kazubowski of Yorkville decided to check out a local festival Saturday after having just moved to town with her husband and son last October.
“This is our first River Fest and we’re looking for something to do,” she said. “We’ve got the little guy (1-year-old Kameron) and we’re going to grab some food and have something to drink.”
Beautiful weather and being along the Fox River seems to bring out the party in everyone, especially on Saturday as Yorkville celebrated its annual River Fest, which opened at dusk on Friday.
While Friday’s program was more about music, beverages and food, Saturday featured a full-blown schedule of family activities that included a meet-and-greet with characters from Disney’s “Moana” and “Encanto” movies, a gift hunt through Riverfront Park and an obstacle course.
Yorkville Superintendent of Recreation Shay Remus said there was a concerted effort to provide lots of family entertainment options during the two-day fest.
“We are really excited. ‘Encanto,’ which came out this year, has been a huge hit with all the kids and families in our area and we decided to go off that idea and create from scratch our own ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ based off of the movie,” she said. “Kids will go through the park and find a magic gift. It’s something super unique that can be done over and over again as we have six different gifts kids can wind up with.”
The popular cardboard boat race was moved back to late Saturday afternoon at 5:30 p.m. in order to accommodate both families with kids possibly wrapping up their day and the more adult evening crowd that would be beginning to arrive.
Yorkville resident Stephanie Roskopf, who has coordinated the race the past eight years, said that a dozen boats are usually entered and that the race has changed over time.
“When we first started this a lot of businesses made a cardboard boat as sort of a cheap way to advertise, but it seems of late that the kids have taken it over,” she said. “You see junior high students taking things over and getting very creative. You do have the families that come together and make theirs – it’s kind of a showstopper. People do stop what they’re doing and come down to the river to watch.”
Mary Barilla watched her daughter playing a game at the fest Saturday and said she has lived in town for six years and had a personal connection this year with the boat race.
“We’ve been here probably four years and love all the activities they have,” she said of River Fest. “We’re going to come to the boat race this year as our friends made a boat and so we’re going to watch and cheer them on. The kids watched it being built so they’re kind of excited.”
A slew of parents and grandparents with kids in tow were ready to pounce on the entertainment options provided for youngsters.
Ryan Kazubowski said for him, local festivals are “about the live music, visit the craft beer tent and have some barbecue” as well as hang out with the family.
All of this year’s music, organizers said, would be country bands and Kazubowski said he “was fine with that.”
“I’m fine with that. I like classic rock, I like country – I’m not too picky,” he said. “I like live music.”
Jessica Wheeler of Yorkville came with her husband Anthony and niece Aviona Wilson, 6, of Dixon, and said Saturday was a day “to meet the Disney characters.”
“We also have to get some ice cream,” Jessica Wheeler said. “This is the second time we’ve come to this and we have our favorites. We did a scavenger hunt last year too.”
“I want to see the princesses and get some ice cream,” Aviona said. “I’d also like a hot dog.”
Debby Springborn of Yorkville said she and her husband Howard have lived in town for 12 years “and we like to participate in the activities here in Yorkville.”
“They have a lot to offer and now that we have grandchildren, we’re celebrating even more so we come down for all of that,” she said. “We’re going to watch the kids do the Disney stuff and just enjoy being around people – being out and being social.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
