Plainfield Fest returns this weekend at locations all around downtown

From carnival rides and local bands to kids activities and foods for every palette, a local nonprofit is gearing up to bring Plainfield Fest to the village this weekend.

Held from Friday to Sunday, the all-volunteer Plainfield Riverfront Foundation spearheads the annual event to raise money for improvements to Electric Park.

Located near downtown Plainfield, Electric Park in the early 1900s was considered a resort destination, offering rental cottages, entertainment, swimming and boating until it closed in 1925.

Now, the village, the Riverfront Foundation and other local government entities are working together to create a new vision for Plainfield’s riverfront that includes trails, recreation space, scenic overlooks, a paddle craft launch and parking.

“We just completed a huge project lighting the path extension,” Paul Jackson of the Plainfield Riverfront Foundation said. “We raised over $100,000 – no taxpayer dollars were used.”

The festival really becomes a full-time volunteer job for several Riverfront Foundation members, Jackson said.

In addition, many other volunteers help throughout the weekend and in the weeks and months leading up to the festival.

The festival will include carnival rides, games, live music, a food court, a beer tent, and a craft and vendor fair in different locations throughout downtown Plainfield.

“The food court will include a lot of interesting foods,” Jackson said. “We have some of the staples that we have had for years and some new ones.”

The festival, which will include an extensive lineup of bands, will be located at the Plainfield Township Community Center.

Bands include the Ashe Brothers, Semple and Midnight on Friday.

Saturday starts off with School of Rock and is followed by The Leftovers, Friday at Five Bands, Don’t Matter to Me, All American Throwbacks and Midnight.

At 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon, the entertainment will conclude with the Ashe Brothers Acoustic Duo.

One of the biggest highlights of the festival is the carnival, which offers unlimited ride specials throughout the weekend, Jackson said.

Otherwise, carnival enthusiasts can purchase individual ride tickets.

For a time, he said, the festival went on without the carnival. However, the Plainfield Riverfront Foundation worked to bring the carnival back to the parking lot of Plainfield Central High School.

The carnival is the biggest draw to raise money for improvements to the riverfront, Jackson said.

“New this year, on Friday, June 27, from 2:30 to 4:30 [p.m.], the sound will be lessened, and the rides will be slowed down to make it more accessible for people with disabilities,” he said.

The cost for the unlimited rides during this time is $15.

The festival is free to attend except for the entertainment area, which has a $5 admission fee after 5 p.m.

At the Village Green, Jackson said there will be kids activities as well as a petting zoo, bounce house, face-painting and balloon animals, all for free thanks to sponsorship support.

The festival also includes a craft and vendor fair at the Village Green from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

On Sunday, a bags tournament will take place in the entertainment area.

Contestants can register at scoreholio.com. Walk-up registration begins at 10 a.m.

Each team will compete in four round-robin rounds, and the cost is $80 per team.

“People come from all over the country to participate in the tournament,” Jackson said.

Per Plainfield police, Lockport Street from Route 59 to James Street, Des Plaines Street from Chicago Street to Main Street, and Chicago Street from Des Plaines to Fox River Street will be closed throughout the festival.

For more information, visit theplainfieldfest.com.