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LOCKPORT – Old Canal Days festival kicked off Thursday with carnival rides and will continue the rest of the weekend with parades, food courts and musical entertainment.
It was the first time Michelle Campbell, an Alabama resident, came to the festival with her son. She said she was visiting her family in Romeoville and decided to take her son to annual Old Canal Days.
“My son’s never rode on rides like these before,” she said.
Some of those rides included bumper cars, Frog Hopper Ride and another ride where children race around a track in small cars. The carnival opened at 2 p.m. Thursday with free admission for people with special needs before opening to the rest the public at 5 p.m.
Festival coordinator Jodi Herman said she’s excited for the rest of Old Canal Days.
“I think this will be one of the best yet because we’ve been adding so many unique activities for families that are close to Lockport’s heart – the history tours, the Lock tours and stuff no one else can offer,” she said. “It’s something we can teach visitors on Lockport and how we came to be.”
Lockport city officials have worked on making the festival attractive not only to Lockport residents but those outside of it. The city ran the festival last year to make other local organizations and residents participate in it.
The big event Friday will be the downtown parade from 6 to 7 p.m. There also be a food court at the parking lot of First Midwest Bank. Lockport’s sister city – Asiago, Italy – will have a tent where people can buy Italian cheese and beer, Herman said.
The Illinois State Museum also will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
On Saturday, the carnival will continue from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Visitors also can enjoy the artisan and antiquities exhibits. Some of the big events Saturday will be tours of the historic Lockport Lock and cemetery.
Many of the events from Friday and Saturday will continue on Sunday.
Lockport resident Dan Kaspar, who was at the carnival Thursday with his son, said he’s been to Old Canal Days before. He plans to be at the festival all weekend with his son.
“It’s for him. It’s also local,” he said.
Old Canal Day Events
Friday 6 to 7 p.m., Parade 5 to 11:30 p.m., Carnival 4 p.m. to midnight, Food Court Saturday 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Lock Tours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wagon History Tours 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lockport cemetery tours Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mr. D’s Magic Show Noon to 5 p.m., Illinois State Museum Noon to 4 p.m., Beer garden, wine tent, Sister Cities tent For a full list of events, visit oldcanaldays.com.