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Chicago Tribune
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Live animals attract fans to Kane County Fair, organizers say
Jenna Fiorito of Batavia looks forward to the middle of July each year because she gets to visit a venue she's been coming to 'since I was a little girl.' 'I've lived here since I was three years old and I'm familiar with this event – coming here every year and seeing the animals. I'll be here tomorrow as well,' Fiorito said as she passed rows of stalls filled with cows this Thursday afternoon in St. Charles. 'I like coming here to see what's going on in Kane County and have fun. I think this event is very clean and very well organized.' Beginning Wednesday, July 16, the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles welcomed thousands to the 156th annual Kane County Fair – billed as 'one of the oldest and long-standing fairs in the country.' With an eclectic mix of entertainment that runs the gambit from a petting zoo, classic car show, nightly music shows, and carnival rides, the annual fair always reintroduces guests to its share of animal attraction including pig races, bull riders, and even barrel races, which were added this year. President of the Board of Directors for the fair Larry Breon of Batavia said he believes the continued appeal of the fair is definitely tied to the animal attractions that are offered. 'There are carnivals every year around our area all the time so that's nothing special, but what makes ours unusual is that we have livestock. Back in the day, not too many years ago, our area was agriculturally-based,' Breon said. 'People see livestock which they don't see anymore, which makes our event different. We have a 4-H program in our county and we give them a chance to show off their work and projects to the public.' Breon added that guests who come to the fair 'can see everything from a cow being milked through a window to goats and beef cattle and pigs.' 'I really think the animals are the attraction from the racing pigs, but we also have magic shows and bull riding and a demo derby and there are lots of activities going on every day – there's different things for different people,' he said. Breon notes the outdoor venue can draw 60,000 people over the five days, weather permitting. 'I'd say we get about 15 percent new people that come out each year,' he said. 'A lot of people for many years didn't realize the fairground was redeveloped and redesigned. I used to say for many years we have two seasons – we had dust and we had mud, and now we don't have either. It's a very nice venue.' Lightning, followed by an hour's downpour of rain, pushed back Wednesday's opening for more than an hour, officials said Thursday, although carnival rides and food vendors later reopened. On Thursday, cloudy skies remained but the fair pressed on and featured professional championship women barrel racing at 7:30 p.m. as well as a magic show, petting zoo, an animal race featuring 'swifty swine racing pigs' and music at the sound stage. Tony Siracusa of Peotone was working an arcade booth that offered the chance to shoot at targets and said he has been at the fair 'for over 10 years' adding that the event 'has grown exponentially.' 'Definitely – from when I first started. We have good years and bad years like everything else in business but hopefully this will be another good year,' Siracusa said. 'Coming out to something that has this much history – it pays off. We do have a lot of spots [other carnivals] that we play, but with all the time it takes to get things set up here – it's heartwarming to be a part of it.' While carnival rides weren't drawing a lot of attention within the first hour of opening Thursday afternoon – animal exhibits certainly were. Missy Johnson of Sycamore said she brings beef cattle every year and 'has been coming here since 1992.' 'For me, I grew up doing 4H and this was always a big part of our lives and all our friends were here and we all had common interests,' she said. 'This was where we came to be with all our friends and now my kids do it.' Mary Beth Casty of Winnetka and her cousin Judy Bond of Northbrook said this was their first time visiting the event and both professed to be animal lovers. 'I love animals – the attraction is they're sometimes more human than humans – many are consistent and I just like them because – they have a heart,' Casty said. 'This is our first time and we heard about it on the radio and were out in Geneva at a shop and decided to come over and check it out,' Bond added. 'The big reason we came was to see the animals – we saw pigs and cows and rabbits. I'm not a farm girl, but I enjoy the animals.'
Chicago Tribune
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Women's barrel racing a new addition to this year's Kane County Fair
Cowgirls are taking center stage this week at the 156th Kane County Fair as a professional women's barrel racing competition joins favorites like bull riding and the demolition derby at the fairground's grandstand. '(Barrel racing) is very popular around the country. I think people will be pleased by it,' fair board Chair Larry Breon said. The new competition, which requires riders on horseback to race around barrels in a clover leaf pattern, is expected to be one of the highlights of the annual fair, which also features the usual fare of carnival rides and games, 4-H exhibits, pig racing, live music and plenty of food over the course of its Wednesday-through-Sunday run at the St. Charles fairgrounds. Always a big draw when the weather cooperates, the fair brought in between 50,000 and 60,000 people attend last year, Breon said. 'If we have good weather, we have good attendance,' he said. 'I hope we have good weather,' Breon said. The female barrel racing is proving to be a big draw for professional racers who are coming from around the country to participate, he said. The event takes place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. There also will be other grandstand shows, like a series of professional championship bull rider and cowgirl events Friday and Saturday night and Saturday afternoon. Tickets for bull riding and barrel racing can be purchased at 'Bull riding is very popular,' Breon said. 'Everything is first class.' Always a big draw is the demolition derby, which starts at 2 p.m. Sunday and costs $10 to attend. Another fan favorite is pig racing, he said. 'Everyone loves them so we keep bringing them back,' he said. But if you want to see the heart of the fair, don't miss the 4-H exhibitions, Breon said. 4-H members get to not only display their skills and livestock but also teach others about agriculture, he said. It's sometimes surprising for children when they connect the dots between the food they consume and where it comes from, he said. 'Kids don't realize milk comes from a cow because they think it comes from Jewel. You can come here and see a cow being milked,' he said. Breon, who's been coming to the fair for 70 years, joined 4-H when he was 10 years old. His family owned a farm outside of Batavia, and he showed cattle when he was young, he said. That first ribbon you win is unforgettable, he said. 'You felt pretty good about it,' Breon said. As he got older, he won state and national championships and ultimately became part of the National Beef Association and a member of the Illinois State Fair board. He was a farmer until retiring last year. Live music is always an important aspect of the fair, and this year there will be a variety of genres performing on the Miller Lite Sound Stage. Eric Chesser, a Nashville-based country musician, kicks things off with a 7 p.m. show Thursday. On Friday night, Trippin' Billies, a Dave Matthews tribute band, will take the stage at 7:30. Saturday, Mark Atkins performs at 5 p.m. and the Hillbilly Rockstarz go on at 8:30 p.m. The latter is known for mashing up pop, rock and dance songs. The How Rude Band closes out the fair with a show at 6 p.m. Sunday. They play '90s hits, including pop and grunge. Fantasy Amusements returns with its thrill rides like the OMG 360, which swings riders in 360 degrees while revolving, and Pharaoh's Fury. The midway also will have family-friendly rides, games, and, of course, funnel cakes and other fair foods. Fair hours are 3 to 11 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, noon to midnight Friday and Saturday, and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. Admission prices are $5 on Wednesday and Thursday and $5 for children and $10 for adults Friday through Sunday. There's no cost for children under 3. Free admission is available for seniors 62 and older and miltary with ID until 5 p.m. Thursday. A ticket to be used all five days costs $25. (Credit card purchases add 4% to the price.) Wristbands are available for unlimited carnival rides, and range in price from $27 to $32 depending on the day. The fairgrounds is located at 525 S. Randall Road in St. Charles. For more information, go to
Indianapolis Star
18-06-2025
- Climate
- Indianapolis Star
National Weather Service warns of 'interesting' day with storms, hail, high winds ahead
Several rounds of thunderstorms will hit Indiana on June 18, the National Weather Service warns. The most intense storms are expected to occur between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. "This afternoon has the potential to be pretty interesting," NWS meteorologist Earl Breon said. Hail could be larger than an inch in some areas, and the chance of tornadoes can't be ruled out. All the rain this morning and later this afternoon could lead to river and flash flooding, Breon added, so drivers should be mindful of low crossings on their routes. There's potential for wind above 70 mph, which could also create a serious hazard for drivers. Storms will continue until about 10 p.m., according to early June 18 models. The morning of Juneteenth will break with more showers and thunderstorms before 8 a.m. There's a "slight" chance of showers between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. on June 19, and then the stormy weather will resume. This weekend is predicted to be simmering hot, with June 22, June 23 and June 24 expected to hit temperatures higher than 90 degrees. 🚨 Indiana Weather Alerts: Warnings, Watches and Advisories. ⚡ Indiana power outage map: How to check your status. 💻 Internet outages: How to track them. 🚫 What you should and shouldn't do when the power is out. 🐶 Your neighbor left their pet outside. Who you should call. If you encounter a downed traffic signal or a limb blocking a roadway, contact the Mayor's Action Center at 317-327-4622 or online at When calling after hours, press "2" to be connected. Check road conditions, including road closures, crashes and live webcams using Indiana's online Trafficwise map at or visit our gridlock guide page for live traffic cams and more. INDOT's CARS Program provides information about road conditions, closures and width and weight restrictions. The website has a color-coded map of Indiana's highways and highlights hazardous road conditions and travel delays. The interactive map also shows road work warnings, closures, roadway restrictions and other information helpful to drivers.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Summer is arriving in Indiana with heat indices above 100F. Here's what you need to know.
Summer is coming in hot this weekend — but not before a low pressure system will bring more thunderstorms, rain and possible tornadoes to the Bloomington area. Here's what you need to know. The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for 39 central Indiana counties including Monroe and all neighboring counties. The forecast calls for thunderstorms being possible 'off and on through Thursday.' The NWS warned of possible lighting, heavy rainfall and localized flooding. Earl Breon, a meteorologist with the NWS in Indianapolis, said the chance for a tornado in Bloomington is 5%. Breon said Bloomington has gotten nearly 4 inches of rain through Monday, which is about 1.4 inches more than normal. Breon said the wetter weather will stop Thursday night. Summer officially begins late Friday, and summer is arriving with a bang. Breon said a high pressure system is moving in from the Great Plains and will settle in the area for a bit. The high pressure system will mean hotter and drier conditions. Temperatures this weekend, starting with Saturday afternoon and going through Monday, will reach the mid-90s, Breon said. The NWS warned of heat indices for central Indiana of up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Breon said the Bloomington area normally sees highs around this time of year of the mid-80s, but he said Indiana has seen temperatures that are expected this weekend even earlier in past years. 'It's not normal, but it's also not unusual,' he said. Indiana farmers are a bit behind in planting corn, according to the Purdue University Pest & Crop newsletter. As of early June, Indiana farmers had reached 86% planted, up from 76% a week earlier. Usually Indiana farmers have about 90% of their crop planted in early June. The report also indicated that nearby states, including Ohio, which was at 72% planted, remained behind schedule because of weather delays. Boris Ladwig can be reached at bladwig@ This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: It will get hot in Monroe County this weekend. What you need to now.
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Breon Simms: Coventry mum wants to help others deal with grief
"He wanted to go everywhere he possibly could and people have made that happen." Kelly Simms said people have sought to honour her son Breon, 18, in remarkable ways after he passed away following an accident in said her son did not get to fulfil his dream of travelling the world, so friends, relatives and even strangers have taken pictures of him across the Simms said this has kept his memory alive but also helped her cope and now she wants to support others who are dealing with grief. "For some reason people have opened up their heart for Breon," she said. "It resonates with them, I think it's his smile to be honest. "As a mum who has lost a child, that's the most heartwarming thing anyone can do." The last eight years have also seen Ms Simm's son remembered by celebrities including his favourite rapper Stormzy. An annual football match is played by friends in his honour and he has become the face of JD sports in Coventry. Kelly said the kindness of those both in her community and further afield was driving her to help others and she now wants to gift other grieving families with "care packages" every month. She said the packages were filled with items that have helped her through such a difficult time, including a journal for parents to write down their thoughts and feelings."It's basically things I was given along my journey that I feel helped me," she said. Ms Simms, who has also honoured her son's memory with a charity skydive, is currently sending out two packages a month but wants this to increase."I would love to be able to send that out on a bigger scale," she added. "I feel like I haven't healed but I've been given this strength for a reason. "I need to help other people." Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
