Street Closure for New Summer 'Kick Off' Festival Wins Board Blessing

An old Plainfield tradition is coming back with a new name and location, pending approval of the board next week.

Kick Off to Summer Festival 2012 -- once known as Spring Fest and, before that, the Strawberry Festival -- will be held June 2 and 3 if the school board approves the use of Plainfield Central High School's parking lot.

The gave its blessing to the event Monday night when it agreed to close Fort Beggs Drive from 6 p.m. June 1 through midnight June 3.

decided to revive the spring carnival as a fundraiser for the nonprofit group, MainStreet Executive Director Susan Erickson said. It dropped the then-May festival a two years ago when it became too difficult to do both that and Plainfield Fest in July but now that they've relinquished the latter to the Plainfield Riverfront Foundation, it has the ability to concentrate on pulling together the smaller event, she said.

"We need to keep MainStreet going," Erickson said. "The village board agreeing to the street closure is the first step."

A letter requesting the use of the Plainfield Central parking lot has been sent to the school board and its president, Roger Bonuchi, and it's expected a decision will be made at this coming Monday's board meeting, she said. Assuming that happens, MainStreet will be able to sign a contract with the Astro Amusement Co. to provide carnival rides.

The festival will also include food vendors and arts-and-crafts booths, she said.

MainStreet has worked on the details of the event with Plainfield police, fire and public works officials, and village trustees lauded the group for finding a new location that would not require Lockport Street to be closed.

"There's been less resistance over this with only one road closure," Mayor Michael Collins said.

Added Trustee Jim Racich: "Hopefully, its success (will mean we can) move other events to that area in the future."