November 21, 2024
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Town & Country Days returning for 57th annual event

Festival runs June 14-18; new, returning activities for all ages to be offered

By Alexa Zoellner
Stacia Hamill, of Dixon, takes a spin on one of the carnival rides at Polo's Town & Country Days on June 18, 2022. With Hammil are Max Miles, 2, Riley Miles, 3, and Aden Schuler, 6, of Polo.

Stacia Hamill, of Dixon, takes a spin on one of the carnival rides at Polo's Town & Country Days on June 18, 2022. With Hammil are Max Miles, 2, Riley Miles, 3, and Aden Schuler, 6, of Polo. (Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media)

POLO — The 57th Polo Town & Country Days will feature new and returning activities for all ages.

The festival is set to run Wednesday, June 14, through Sunday, June 18, in downtown Polo.

“It’s hard to find events in small towns that are thriving,” said Joey Kochsmeier, Town & Country Days Committee first vice president, when asked why people should come. “If the community wants to keep things going like this, then it really needs to be supported.”

On Wednesday, there will be games at the Polo pool, at Keator Park, from 5-7 p.m.

The Little Miss & Mister Contest will take place Thursday in the festival tent, and the firework show will happen later that night, Kochsmeier said. Both events always are big hits, he said.

Polo Town & Country Days 2022 Little Miss A'Myia Miller and Little Mister Carter Miller, both 4, and unrelated, smile at each other after being crowned on June 16, 2022. There were eight female contestants and seven males.

Polo Town & Country Days 2022 Little Miss A'Myia Miller and Little Mister Carter Miller, both 4, and unrelated, smile at each other after being crowned on June 16, 2022. There were eight female contestants and seven males. (Alexa Zoellner/Shaw Media)

“We have the carnival back,” Kochsmeier said. “They’re supposed to be bringing rides for all ages.”

Megapasses for the carnival can be purchased for $50 through June 15, or otherwise will be available at the festival for $60, he said. They can be purchased in advance at First State Bank, Blackhawk Area Credit Union, Knie Appliance & Furniture and Scholl Insurance, Kochsmeier said.

Single-day passes will be available for $25 Friday and Sunday, he said.

“We’re lucky to have the carnival come to town when we’re so small,” Kochsmeier said. “There’s not many communities that can say they throw their own carnivals like we can.”

On Friday and Saturday, there will be an ax-throwing trailer open from noon to 8 p.m., hosted by Hauling Axe 815.

“That seems to be big with people right now, so people can participate in that if they choose to,” Kochsmeier said.

New this year will be dinner under the festival tent from 4-6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, he said. Families will be able to enjoy live entertainment and dinner in the shade.

Also on Friday, there will be P&C Little Rascals Petting Zoo outside the festival tent from 1-3 p.m.

Members of the Polo Area Community Theater dressed up from their play, "Red vs. The Wolf," wave to onlookers during the Polo Town & Country Days parade on June 19, 2022.

Members of the Polo Area Community Theater dressed up from their play, "Red vs. The Wolf," wave to onlookers during the Polo Town & Country Days parade on June 19, 2022. (Alexa Zoellner/Shaw Media)

The Fathers Day Grande Parade starts at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, followed by the band Just 4 Fun playing live in the festival tent at 1:30 p.m., Kochsmeier said.

For a full schedule of events, visit www.PoloDays.org.

PoloFestival
Alexa Zoellner

Alexa Zoellner

Alexa Zoellner reports on Lee, Ogle and Whiteside counties for Shaw Media out of the Dixon office. Previously, she worked for the Record-Eagle in Traverse City, Michigan, and the Daily Jefferson County Union in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.