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Saturday, April 12

a.m. – 1 p.m. Shabbona Middle School, 725 School St., Morris

Family Fest 2025 A Business and Community Showcase – April 12

MORRIS – Spring is upon us, 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 12 at Shabbona School, 725 School St., Morris. Family Fest will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

We welcome back the reptile show, balloon art, and the local business expo filled with products and giveaways, as well as face painting and the jump house.

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 CPV Three Rivers Energy Center. D’Arcy Chevrolet, Constellation- Dresden Generating Station and Vistra Kendall Power Plant 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, childcare, insurance, education and more.

“Family Fest is a great opportunity for local businesses to get one on one time with both current and potential customers,” Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt-Minooka Owner Sarah Peterson said. “People get to know a little bit more about the local businesses and the teams running them. We look forward to participating every year.”

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.

One of the most exciting aspects of Family Fest is the Kids Zone, sponsored by Hexagon Real Estate, Procter & Gamble, Sherwood Oaks/ The Country Farmhouse, ONEOK, Financial Plus Credit Union, Village of Minooka, Grundy Bank, WCSJ/K Country, LyondellBasell, Lightways

Hospice and Serious Illness Care, Little Learners Children’s Academy, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt - Minooka, Morris Soccer Association, SOCU, and JJC. Kids Zone is an activities area that provides ongoing child-centered activities like Dave DiNaso’s Traveling World of Reptiles – sponsored by Old National Bank. 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 Lisa Hall, the balloon artist from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and get free balloons. She will be located in the expo area. The balloons are free thanks to a sponsorship from the Morris Hospital YMCA.

Lynda with Anything-Art (painting faces and spaces) will be providing face painting from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. If a line is present, Lynda will stop taking kids at 12:30 p.m. in order to complete all in line by 1 p.m. This fun activity is being sponsored by American Commercial Bank & Trust and is free but also is first come first serve.

In addition, a performance will be held by Chamber member – Thrive Dance Project at 9:45 a.m. in the Kids Zone gym.

“There are few places where you can meet a new dentist, find a new lipstick and pet a lizard all in one place – but Family Fest is one of them,” Chamber President & CEO Christina Van Yperen said. “Our annual Family Fest event is fun, informational and free to attend. We can’t wait to see everyone April 12.”

For more information, please contact the Chamber at (815) 942-0113 or email lena@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 2025 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.

A&E Storage

American Commercial Bank and Trust

Associated Orthodontists Ltd.

Authentic Counseling and Therapy, PLLC

Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Will & Grundy Counties

Busey Bank

CASA of River Valley

Comcast

Constellation

CPV Three Rivers, LLC

D’Arcy Chevrolet

Easterseals Joliet Region, Inc.

Edward Jones - Christopher Scholtes

Financial Plus Credit Union

Great Water USA

Grundy Area PADS - Donated by D’Arcy Chevrolet

Grundy Bank

Grundy County Veterans Assistance Commission

Guardian Angel Community Services

Heartland Bank

Hearts with Compassion - Donated by P&G

Hexagon Real Estate

Joliet Junior College

LeafFilter Gutter Protection

Lightways Hospice & Serious Illness Care

Little Learner Children’s Academy

LyondellBasell Industries

Mary Kay- Jeni Tjelle

Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt - Minooka

Mike Lucas State Farm

Minnie’s Travel Boutique

Mission Bible Church

Morris Area Public Library

Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers

Morris Hospital YMCA

Morris Police Department

Morris Pool

Morris Soccer Association

NAMI Will-Grundy

Nicor Gas

Sponsors & Consumer Expo Vendor list:

Activities and information from area vendors will be available

ONEOK

Pregnancy Resource Center-Grundy County

Procter & Gamble – GCFC

Rainbow Council Boy Scouts of America, donated by ONEOK

Sherwood Oaks Waffle Cafe

SOCU - Streator Onized Credit Union - Morris

Southwest Hearing Solutions

United Way of Grundy County – booth donated by LyondellBasell

Unlocking Abilities Behavior and Learning

Village of Minooka

Vistra Kendall Power Plant

WCSJ/K-Country

We Care of Grundy County, donated by Grundy Bank

* This list reflects vendors as of deadline.

Schedule of Events

Fest is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

l 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Kids Zone and Consumer Expo open all day

l 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Lynda with Anything-Art (painting faces and spaces) in Expo Area

FREE face painting back at Family Fest

MORRIS –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 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Family Fest Saturday, April 12 at the former Shabbona School, 725 School St. in Morris. If a line is at the booth at 12:30, the booth will close off the line to finish all kids by 1 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.

KENDALL POWER PLANT

Traveling World of Reptiles to hold two shows at Family Fest April 12

MORRIS - 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 Old National Bank. This year’s showings will be at 10:10 a.m. and again at 11 a.m. during Family Fest on Saturday, April 12 at the former 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 handson, 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.

Families will be able to see and pet snakes, turtles, lizards and more.

“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 Traveling World of Reptiles show at Family Fest.

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MORRIS- Owner of Lisa’s Face Painting & Balloons Lisa Hill has been entertaining families since she was a child learning from her mother, who was a professional clown.

“I have entertained everywhere you can think of, such as block parties to corporate events to parades. So you could say my brother and I have been born into the business,” Hill said in her bio on her website.

During Family Fest she will be offering free balloon creations from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the expo area thanks to a sponsorship by Morris Hospital YMCA. Depending on the line, the balloon art line may be cut off at 12 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.

For more information on Hill’s face painting and balloon services visit lisafacepaintingandballoons.com.

Thrive Dance Project

MORRIS - Thrive Dance Project of Channahon will be bringing dancers to perform at Family Fest on Saturday, April 12.

Thrive Dance Project located at 25445 Pheasant Lane, Suite C-E in Channahon is a specialty dance school whose mission is to provide an atmosphere where every child can grow to their fullest potential. Their instructors and staff have a combined 50 years of experience in several varieties of dances and competition.

Melissa Warning is from New Lenox where she began her dance training. Warning has coached the Minooka Varsity Dance Team to 8 sectional championships, 6 conference championships, top ten in the state for 9 years in a row as well as bringing home two 3rd place podium trophies.

Thrive Dance Project will perform at Family Fest on April 12 at 9:45 a.m.

“We are excited to be bringing Thrive Dance Project in to perform for Family Fest again this year. It is a wonderful opportunity for them to showcase their talent, as well as illustrate what Thrive can do for those interested in dance,” Chamber President & CEO Christina Van Yperen said.

CPV Three Rivers is proud to be a presenting sponsor of the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce