Are you going ‘gnome’ for the holidays?

Lori Carmine was in a meeting recently with a woman asking about Joliet’s 45th Festival of Gnomes.”

“She said, ‘Why have I not heard about this? My mother is seriously obsessed with gnomes,’” Carmine said

Carmine is “just directing” this year’s Festival of Gnomes production at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre in Joliet. But Carmine has performed in this annual, multi-generational holiday show nearly every year since she was 15. Carmine is the park’s manager, as well as the special events coordinator for the city of Joliet.

Even Carmine’s parents Tom and Jan Novotny are part of the show as Great Uncle Gnome and Great Aunt Gnome, respectively. In fact, Jan insists she will never assume the title of Grandma Gnome, Carmine said.

“She said that [title] belongs to Billie,” Carmine said.

Carmine is referring to Billie Limacher, who, along with former, longtime park manager Georgiann Goodson, created the Festival of Gnomes as a holiday event of goodwill that all people of any age could enjoy, regardless of how they celebrated the holiday season.

Limacher herself attended every show as Grandma Gnome until a few years ago when health issues intervened. Limacher died April 1 at the age of 99.

Goodson wrote the show the first year she was park manager and based the resource material from the 1976 book “Gnomes” by Wil Huygen and Rien Poortvliet, which she had discovered in a bookstore in Wisconsin, Goodson said in a 1999 Herald-News story.

“I had wanted to do a holiday play, but nothing religious since it was a civic park, just something fun with a moral value,” Goodson said in the story. “I enjoy adapting stories and these contained action … conflict ... different theatrical elements.”

The Festival of Gnomes began with a cast of 10 people and increased every year. No one imagined its longevity, but Carmine feels its appeal is basic.

“It showcases family values of being good human beings, of being nice and taking care of one another,” Carmine said.

In a 2009 Herald-News story, Limacher shared the only negative comment she’d ever heard about the show. One woman disapproved of the Snotgurgle gnome and informed Limacher that she and her grandchildren would not return next year.

“The next morning I got a phone call and it was the woman,” Limacher said. “She said, ‘Mrs. Limacher this is so and so and I owe you an apology. I had the grandchildren overnight and all they talked about was the show. They even went to bed with their gnome hats on.’”

The gnome hats are felt hats patrons may purchase for $3. Anyone who returns the following year may have a free tassel sewn onto the cap. The 2009 story said the tassels are made from “dried moonbeams with a dehydrated star hanging from it.”

The tassels signify each year a person has attended the show Carmine said. Special tassels are available for the 10th, 20th and 30th year, Carmine added.

Patrons may also take a chance two soft sculptured gnome dolls, both handmade and signed by doll artist Sally Susner of Shorewood.

Other event features include a plate of assorted cookies and hot cocoa and coffee for $1 and a variety of gnome-made crafts for purchase – perfect for young holiday shoppers, Carmine said.

“Everything is right around a dollar,” Carmine said.

For those who can’t attend the show, Carmine has a special gnome-ish message.

“Be kind and nice to all you meet,” Carmine said. “And give the birds a special treat.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: 45th Festival of the Gnomes

WHEN: 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Lobby doors open 1 p.m.

WHERE: Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre, 201 W. Jefferson St. Joliet

COST: $5 general admission. $3 gnome cap (optional, free tassel sewn on cap each year after your first year) $1 cookie plate with hot cocoa and coffee. Beer, wine and gnome-made crafts available for purchase. Free parking and admission to lobby. Raffles for handmade gnome dolls are $1 each or six for $5.

TICKETS: Call the park office at 815-724-3761 or visit bicentennialpark.org