MDH_Family Fest 2023_040523

Family Fest 2023 A Business and Community Showcase – April 15

MORRIS – Spring is here and the Grundy Chamber’s annual Family Fest is a great way to kick-off the season with free fun for all. This free, family-friendly event will be Saturday, April 15 at Shabbona School in Morris. Family Fest will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the former Shabbona Middle School, 725 School Street in Morris. We welcome back the reptile show, balloon art, and the local business expo filled with products and giveaways. After a few years hiatus, we are excited for the return of face painting and jump houses. A Touch-A-Truck event has also been added this year.

Family Fest is a family-centered business expo showcasing the programs, products and services available throughout greater Grundy County, all while providing entertainment for families. The event is presented by Comcast and title sponsors CPV Three Rivers Energy Center and TR Miller Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. Simple Communications, D’Arcy Chevrolet and Constellation- Dresden Generating Station are this year’s event sponsors. Thanks to all of these sponsors for ensuring this event is free for families.

It is the only event of its kind available to local residents. Consumers can find information on health and beauty, financial and community services, home improvement, child care, insurance, education and more.

“The Health Department has always enjoyed participating in Family Fest,” Public Health Administrator Michelle Pruim said. “It’s essentially an indoor amusement park for kids packed with wonderful local resources. Grundy has a lot to offer local families, and this event brings them all under one roof.”

The vendor expo opens at 9 a.m. and will offer entertainment, raffles, demonstrations, kids’ activities and more. Families are encouraged to attend together, as there is something for all ages.

This year a performance will be held by new Chamber member - Chang Lee’s Taekwon Martial Arts Corp. held at 12:15 p.m. in the performance area sponsored by SOCU. The Lee family provides high quality martial arts training for people of all ages.

One of the most exciting aspects of Family Fest is the Kids Zone, sponsored by Financial Plus Credit Union, ONEOK, First Federal Savings Bank, LyondellBasell, Heartland Bank, Joliet Junior College, Procter & Gamble, The Country Farmhouse, Village of Minooka and Luminant Kendall Power. Kids Zone is an activities area that provides ongoing child-centered activities like Dave DiNaso’s Traveling World of Reptiles – sponsored by Coal City Dental. The jump houses are also located in the Kids Zone.

Stop by the Kids Zone anytime from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for coloring, activities, and visits with mascots. Mascots will be available all day. The reptile show presentation will be at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Kids also will be able to see Strawberri the balloon artist from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and get free balloons thanks to sponsor Old National Bank. Strawberri will be located in the expo area.

Pro Tack LLC s is keeping our families safe by being the sanitation sponsor featuring hand sanitizer stations at the event.

Lynda with Anything-Art (painting faces and spaces) will be providing face painting from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. If a line is present, Lynda will stop taking kids at noon in order to complete all in line by 12:30 p.m. This fun activity is being sponsored by American Commercial Bank & Trust and is free, but also is first come first serve.

“Every year this event continues to grow and bring families together to get to know their community better all while having a fun afternoon,” Chamber President & CEO

Christina Van Yperen said. “Family Fest is a favorite among children and adults alike and we can’t wait to see everyone April 15.”

For more information, please contact the Chamber at (815) 942-0113 or email amanda@grundychamber.com.

HaveaGreat Fa mily Fe st

Constellation and Dresden Station are proud to support and participate in the Grundy County and Channahon-Minooka Chambers of Commerce

2023 Family Fest.

Grundy County is a great place to live and work, and we hope you will take advantage of this event to learn more about the companies and organizations that provide a wealth of family-friendly resources, products and services throughout the area.

Consumer Expo Vendor list

Activities and information from area vendors will be available

American Commercial Bank & Trust

Associated Orthodontist

Bath Planet

Beans & Bites

Boy Scouts of America

Breaking Away

CASA

Century 21-Team Toler

Coal City Dental

Comcast

Comparion Insurance Company

CPV Three Rivers, LLC

Crossroads Counseling

D’Arcy Chevrolet

Easterseals

Embroidery Zoo

Financial Plus Credit Union

First Federal Savings Bank

Forte Arts Center

Girls Scouts of Greater Chicago & Northwest Indiana

Great Water

Grundy Bank

Grundy County Health Dept.

Heartland Bank & Trust

Joliet Junior College

Joliet Slammers

Kendall Grundy Farm Bureau

Luminant Kendall Power Plant

Lardi Chiropractic

Little Learner Children’s Academy

Mary Kay

Minnie’s Travel Boutique

Morris City Pool

Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers

Morris Police Dept.

Morris YMCA

NAMI

Nicor

Procter & Gamble

Prime Baths and Home Solutions

The Country Farmhouse

SOCU

State Farm-Mike Lucas

T-Mobile

The Cove & Evergreen Nutrition

TR Miller Heating Cooling & Plumbing

True North United Way of Grundy County

Unlocking Abilities Behavior and Learning

Village of Minooka

WCSJ/K-Country

We Care of Grundy County

Schedule of Events

• 9 a.m. Kids Zone and Consumer Expo open all day

• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Balloon art by Strawberri in Expo Area sponsored by Old National Bank

• 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Lynda with Anything-Art (painting faces and spaces) in Expo Area sponsored by American Commercial Bank & Trust

• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jump houses and activities in Kids Zone

• 10-10:45 a.m. Dave DiNaso’s Traveling World of Reptiles in Kids Zone sponsored by Coal City Dental

• 11-11:45 a.m. Dave DiNaso’s Traveling World of Reptiles in Kids Zone sponsored by Coal City Dental

• 12:15 p.m. Chang Lee’s Taekwon Martial Arts performs in Kids Zone

*Mascots will be walking through expo throughout the day

Free balloon art by Strawberri

Michelle Nilles, also known as Strawberri, has been entertaining kids as well as adults since 1999 through her business Berri Good Clowns & More. Strawberri’s fun yet gentle ways and genuine love for children puts even the shyest child at ease. She can amaze your guests with her balloon creations, face painting and interactive comedy magic shows. During Family Fest she will be offering free balloon creations from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the expo area thanks to our sponsor Old National Bank. Depending on the line for Strawberri, the balloon art line may be cut off at 12:30 p.m. to make sure all waiting get a balloon.

“At Family Fest we love that the kids get to take something home with them to enjoy from their day with us. A balloon creation is a unique gift children can play with and create memories with,” Grundy Chamber President & CEO Christina Van Yperen said.

Strawberri has performed for Harpo Studios, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls pre-game shows, and at Wrigley Field. She also performs for corporate events, restaurants, birthday parties, schools, pre-schools, churches and Grand Openings.

Traveling World of Reptiles to hold two shows at Family Fest April 15

If you have never seen the Traveling World of Reptiles it can best be described as an up-close, live, and extremely interactive or “hands-on” experience about reptiles and amphibians from around the world.

Dave DiNaso’s Traveling World of Reptiles has become a tradition at the Grundy Chamber’s annual Family Fest and is back again this year thanks to sponsor Coal City Dental. This year’s showings will be at 10 a.m. and again at 11 a.m. during Family Fest on Saturday, April 15 at Shabbona School in Morris. The shows, as well as Family Fest overall, are free to attend.

“Every year we have families who return to Family Fest thanks to the hands-on, fun, and friendly experience Dave DiNaso’s Traveling World of Reptiles provides. Children and adults have the opportunity to get up close to animals they do not get to encounter often,” Christina Van Yperen, Chamber President & CEO said.

The Traveling World of Reptiles blends education and a unique style of humor to form an original experience that makes the presentation every bit as entertaining as it is educational, DiNaso said in a news release.

If you would like the opportunity to see, touch, and learn about reptiles from all over the world and laugh a lot while doing so, attend the

Chang Lee’s Taekwondo Martial Arts Demonstration Team to perform

The Demonstration Team of Chang Lee’s Taekwondo Martial Arts in Morris will be showing off their skills during Family Fest on Saturday, April 15.

The Martial Arts school, located at 1204 N. Division St. in Morris, specializes in teaching Taekwondo to children as young as 3 years old and their oldest student is 64 years old. Taekwondo is great for all ages as it teaches respect, self-discipline, and makes for a strong healthy mind, body, and spirit, Grand Master Chang Min Lee said in a news release. Lee is a 7 th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo and 8th Degree Black Belt in Hapkido. He is from South Korea and established the school

in Morris in 2012. Master Yoo Chan Lee, a 4th Degree Black Belt, also teaches at the school.

Lee will lead the demonstration team during its Family Fest performance from 12:15 p.m. The team will perform a mix of Taekwondo forms, weapons, Taekwondo dance, gymnastics and board breaking.

“Watching the demonstration team in action is always exciting, and astounding. Not only is their hard work on display, but the joy they feel while performing is evident on their faces. The community always enjoys their performances and we hope everyone will come watch,” Chamber President & CEO Christina Van Yperen said.

Free face painting back at Family Fest

It’s not unusual to see mini superheroes, princesses and even wild animals running around the Grundy County Chamber’s annual Family Fest – but don’t worry it’s just kids with painted faces!

Thanks to a sponsorship by American Commercial Bank & Trust, Lynda with Anything-Art (painting faces and spaces) will be painting children’s faces for free from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Family Fest Saturday, April 15 at Shabbona School, 725 School St., Morris. If a line is at the booth at 12, the booth will close off the line to finish all kids by 12:30 p.m.

The face painting booth will be inside the business expo portion of Family Fest so parents and guardians can stop at the 50 plus other vendor booths while their children have their face painted into a tiger, Spiderman, fairy princess and more.

“Face Painting is always a huge hit at events and we expertly transform little guests into princesses, super heroes, butterflies and villains, and there will be zombies and vampires running around too,” Lynda Mahalik, owner of Anything-Art said in a news release.