By Marney Simon | Enterprise Staff
There was no shortage of fun in Plainfield last weekend, as the annual Plainfield Fest took over the streets of downtown Plainfield.
As always, the annual event offered festivalgoers of all ages an entire weekend of food and fun, including carnival rides, live music, local vendors, delicious eats and beverages, as well as the Plainfield Fest Business and Craft Expo and the 2016 Midwest Bags Tournament.
Even village officials lauded the event and its organizers for another successful year of highlighting what the village has to offer.
“There are a lot of people involved in this, not least of all our police department, emergency management, public works,” trustee Margie Bonuchi said during the July 18 board meeting. “There were so many people who worked all weekend long, it was a wonderful event… People had a great time, and that’s what we want people to know about Plainfield.”
Trustee Brian Wojowski echoed those statements, but added that he’d like to see the fest grow and improve in the coming years.
“The only thing I’d like to say, a little bit as some constructive criticism, is that I think the fest has outgrown its current location,” Wojowski said. “Some people were having trouble with their strollers getting though, the sidewalks co-mingled with the rides and the crowds that were there.”
“So, I’d like to look at improving next year’s if at all possible.”
Plainfield Fest is organized by the Plainfield Riverfront Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit organization that works to develop the Plainfield Riverfront as a regional cultural, natural and recreation amenity. Money raised at the annual festival is used for riverfront development projects.
Bonuchi said representatives from the Plainfield Riverfront Foundation are expected to give a report on the foundation and the festival to the village board in the near future.
The Plainfield Riverfront efforts are aimed at implementing the Plainfield Riverfront Master Plan, which was developed in partnership between the village of Plainfield and the Plainfield Park District.