Summer is giving way to the fall, but Elmwood Park officials still have plans for outdoor fun.
The Elmwood Park Fall Fest is scheduled to take place on Diversey Avenue between 73rd and 74th avenues on Sept. 18, 19 and 20.
The event will run from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sept. 18, from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sept. 19 and from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sept. 20.
Jim Parenti, who’s a financial analyst for the village, helped plan the event.
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“It used to be two days, but we decided to extend it,” he said. “We had such a good response we decided to make it three days.”
There’s no charge for admission. The village is bringing in 10 food vendors, selling food from chicken wings to fresh-baked cookies. The Elmwood Park Fire Department will be on hand as well, selling their homemade chili.
Parenti said people should get there early if they want to get some of the department’s stew.
“That’s always a hit,” Parenti said. “The first year they sold out.”
Vendors will accept cash for their food while tickets have to be purchased to get alcohol and other beverages.
There will also be plenty of live entertainment every day of the festival. Bands like The Personnel and The Student Body will be performing pop music favorites. John Vincent will be covering Frank Sinatra tunes and Hillbilly Rockstarz will be performing country music.
There will be activities for children as well.
“Friday, we’re going to have pony rides,” he said. “There will also be people making balloon animals and face painting.”
Most of the children’s activities are free, like pumpkin decorating, an inflatable slide and haunted house, but there will be a fee to receive airbrush tattoos and create sand art.
“On Saturday, the library will be putting on a puppet show,” he said. “On Sunday, we have scarecrow-making and we are asking everyone to bring spare clothes and we’ll provide the hay.”
Parenti said the location and size of the event gives the event more of a family feel. While the Taste of Elmwood Park was located on the south side of the village, Fall Fest is located on the north side of the village.
“It’s just a smaller scale and this is more music and more kid-oriented,” he said. “This event gives us the opportunity to showcase the other areas of our town.”
Twitter: @DavidDPollard