Special Events: Community Fair

Pooch, Pet and Pedal Parade Flyer
Community Fair Flyer

The Des Plaines 6th Annual Pooch, Pet and Pedal Parade sponsored by the Des Plaines Special Events Commission, will be followed up by something new and different this year- a Bike Rodeo, sponsored by the Des Plaines Community Foundation. These events along with "Touch a Truck," a car seat safety check, mini health fair, an arts and crafts booth, bike registration, Jewels the Clown doing face painting, miniature train rides, and others are part of "The 2008 Des Plaines Community Fair," being held 8:00 am – Noon, Saturday, May 17, 2008, at Mountain View Adventure Center, 510 E. Algonquin Rd., Prairie Lakes Community Center, 515 E. Thacker Street, and the Juno Lighting Parking Lot, across from Mountain View Adventure Center.

With various activities being sponsored cooperatively by the Des Plaines Special Events Commission, Police Department, the Des Plaines Community Foundation, the Des Plaines Park District, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Des Plaines Youth Commission, "The 2008 Des Plaines Community Fair" promises to be a family friendly festival with something for everyone.

Dr. Mike Bagby, a local Chiropractor currently serving on the Board of the Des Plaines Community Foundation, the not-for- profit organization dedicated to helping residents in need, is particularly excited about this year’s Bike Rodeo sponsored by his Board:

"As part of the Rodeo, the first 50 children who are in need of a helmet will be provided one free of charge. In addition, Illinois Bicycle Rules of the Road and a map, One Lap of Des Plaines outlining a local 7-mile walking/bicycle route [in fact, Bagby helped design the route information] will be distributed. Highlighting the rodeo will be a fun bike course located on the Mountain View Activity Center Parking Lot, a safety ride, a bike mechanic from the REI Schaumburg store doing bike inspections in conjunction with the bike registrations by the Police Department, and goodie bags. It all takes place 10:00 am -Noon," Dr. Bagby said.

According to Bagby, the Des Plaines Community Foundation, in addition to having a presence at the Pooch, Pet, and Peddle Parade, is looking forward to having a presence at the Des Plaines Park District’s Chase to the Taste, June 7, 2008, a 5K fun run/walk through Des Plaines’ neighborhoods. (One Lap of Des Plaines booklets will be available at the Chase to the Taste and the Taste of Des Plaines, June 6, 7, and 8, 2008).

For those individuals interested in a really fun start to the day, consider dressing up your pet for the Pooch, Pet & Pedal Parade. Registration will begin at 9:00 am, followed by the parade at 10:00 am. The event is free and "kids of all ages" are invited to attend.

The Pooch, Pet and Pedal Parade has been coordinated by Special Events Commissioner Carol Shannon, assisted by Chairman of the Special Events Commission Linda Forman and Special Events Commissioner and Des Plaines Park District’s Recreation Superintendent Gayle Mountcastle. Pets participating in the Parade will be judged by a panel and ribbons will be awarded for the following: Best Dressed, Best Wheels, Best Theme, Fanciest, Biggest, Smallest, Best Pet/Owner Look Alike, Best Tail Wagger, and other categories.

Participants should be aware of the following rules: Children must be accompanied by an adult and minors will not be able to sign a waiver forms. All dogs and pets must be in good health, be at least 6 months old and display appropriate licenses and immunization tags to participate. Dogs must be on leashes no longer than 6 feet, one dog per person.

All other pets must be appropriately restrained. Parade participants and/or owners are responsible for containment of their pets. Owners are responsible for cleaning up and pet waste on the park premises. Parking will be available in the Juno Parking Lot off Algonquin Street. There will be lots of giveaways for pets and their owners. Registration forms for the Pooch, Pet and Pedal Parade are in the spring and summer editions of the Des Plaines Park District’s Spectrum publication and online at  www.desplainesparks.org. Individuals having questions should call Carol Shannon at 847-827-4793.

With safety a "Number 1" priority, the Des Plaines Police will be on hand at "The 2008 Des Plaines Community Fair" to perform car seat safety checks, 8:00 am – Noon, May 17, in the Prairie Lakes North Parking Lot, 515 E. Thacker St. Anyone who transports young children in car seats is encouraged to stop by to make sure they are utilizing the child safety seat properly. Also, for the toddlers and younger set, the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce and Industry will host "Touch A Truck," 9:30 am – Noon, in the Juno Parking Lot at Algonquin Road at Wolf Road. Children will love exploring an assortment of vehicles including police cars, fire engines, dump trucks, snowplows, the mobile library, a trailer home and more!

From 10:30 am – Noon, "The Des Plaines Community Fair" will feature a Mini Health Fair at Prairie Lakes Community Center. The City’s Community Health Nurse Madeline May, along with Park District personnel, will be on hand to evaluate body mass index and blood pressure, as well as hand out emergency preparedness information.

Also at that time, a skate boarding demonstration by the Park District’s Skate Team, miniature train rides, arts and crafts, face painting by Jewels the Clown (Des Plaines’ very own Gloria Ludwig) sponsored by the Des Plaines Youth Commission, and a raffle by the Des Plaines Park District for a foosball table will highlight the event.

For additional information on "The 2008 Des Plaines Community Fair" visit the Des Plaines Park District’s website at www.desplainesparks.org or call 847-391-5700.

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