Batavia Windmill City Festival opens Friday

The largest summer event in Batavia, the three-day Windmill City Festival begins this weekend with live music, food, carnival, games and contests.

The festival goes from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday; noon to 11 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Peg Bond Center and Batavia Riverwalk, 151 N. Island Ave., Batavia.

“Windmill City encapsulates everything that is Batavia – with family activities, nostalgic days, free concerts and amazing food,” said Katie Burgess, director of creative development and community engagement for the Batavia Park District.

“We have local breweries providing craft beer. It is a true community event as all vendors are local,” Burgess said. “It really is one of the flagship events for the Park District and has so much coordination between the Park District, and the city and local organizations which help the event with sponsorships.”

Eight local restaurants providing food trucks are Billy Bricks Wood Fired Pizza, Catering by Michael A., Flynn D City Grubb, Frosty Dogs, Go Doggy, Koconuts Shave Ice, Little O’s Frozen and Midwest Smoke BBQ.

The bands are Hi Infidelity, Hillbilly Rockstarz, Kaleidoscope Eyes, Brass on Fire, This End up and festival favorites Radio Gaga and Libido Funk Circus.

The Golf Challenge, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Friday involves teeing up and hitting a golf ball on the floating target in Depot Pond. Score a floating hole-in-one and win a prize. A bucket of six balls is $5 or 15 balls for $10.

Another attraction is a pet competition at noon Saturday on the main stage at the Peg Bond Center, where the first 50 registered will receive a complimentary doggie bag to take home.

“The pet competition is so cute,” Burgess said. “Everyone in Batavia brings in their pets.”

The pet contest has “Best Overall” in five categories: Best Kisser, Best Trick, Highest Jump – which went to a hamster last year – Best Costume and Most Unusual.

The Sidewalk Chalk Contest invites people to draw for prizes in the “Most Uplifting” and “Best of Batavia” categories. The contest is open to all ages.

Other activities include The Windmill Whirl 5K race along the Fox River at 8 a.m. on Sunday. The event includes a new stroller division and one-mile race for kids 10 and under.

Also on Sunday the Big Wheels/Trike Race is for ages 2-8 who bring their big wheels or tricycles to compete. The Batavia Mothers’ Club Foundation is hosting the Diaper Derby, a crawling race for babies ages 6-15 months.

A Community Craft Fair will be open noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

“This event is so Batavia,” Burgess said. “It’s packed. There were over 16,000 people last year.”

A full schedule is available online at www.windmillcityfest.org.