Geneva resident Heidi Cristina likes coming to Swedish Days in the city, bringing her daughter Kendall, 8, on Saturday morning to the ongoing festival along with some of Kendall’s friends.
“It’s such a community atmosphere,” she said. “There’s something to do the whole day through from morning till night. We came down here last night and were here yesterday riding the rides. We love every part of it.”
The event in downtown Geneva features a carnival, live music, shopping, food, a community parade on Sunday, kids’ activities and more.
The 75th annual Swedish Days festival opened on Wednesday. As the five-day event, which ends on Sunday, progressed muggy conditions arrived. But the current heat wave hasn’t stopped thousands attending the fest, one of the largest annual events in Kane County that officials say draws around 200,000 people each year.
Johanna Patterson, communications director for the Geneva Chamber of Commerce which organizes the event, said the weather is always a factor.
“We had a rainy Wednesday and that’s OK … this is a five-day event and you have time to recover,” Patterson said as she stood outside the chamber’s information booth on Third Street on Saturday. “We’ve had much nicer days since and today it’s hot but luckily the breeze is making it a little more bearable.
“It’s yet to be seen how things will go with the heat,” she said. “Sunday is always the biggest day because of the parade and people know it’s their last chance.”
Patterson noted the three-on-three basketball tournament at the event drew a lot of interest, something that first-time visitor Sam Rathbun of St. Charles enjoyed Saturday morning.
“This is my first time here. I didn’t know this event was that big,” Rathbun said as he watched the basketball tournament. “This is huge. … We’re just walking around and getting our daughter out and watching some basketball. We’ll probably have some lunch and hit the beer tent as well.”
Ross Brady of Batavia came with his two daughters and said he has been to Swedish Days more than half a dozen times.
“I live in the area but we come back because of the food and the music in the afternoon,” he said. “We usually come one day – often on Saturday or Friday nights. I like the bands and have come with friends and we hang out in the beer tent and listen to the music. I think this remains popular because it has that small-town, community feel.”
Kim Perona came to Swedish Days for the first time on Saturday along with her mother Lynda Love, both from Naperville, and said they had lunch reservations in Geneva “since my sister and I elected to take mom here for a Mother’s Day gift.”
Love said she has been to Swedish Days before and recalled the concerts and other events.
“People love to come back here year after year. It’s a great place and food is great and the stores are awesome,” she said of Geneva.
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.