FoxFireFest celebrates the arts in Elgin

The FoxFireFest will celebrate the Elgin's arts and culture for the 50th time this weekend throughout downtown Elgin.

"There are so many components to this festival, including the art show by Art for All, the nonprofit agencies setting up booths, and others, all meant to bring attention to Elgin's fine arts," said Barb Keselica, the city of Elgin's special events coordinator.

The festival used to be dedicated solely to fine arts, but in recent years it morphed into Elgin's signature summer festival as the city broadened the festival's scope to include more musical and children's events.

Event organizers expect nearly as many people to show up this year as last, in spite of the new $5 admission fee to get into the festival. Event organizers said that somewhere between 20,000 and 25,000 people showed up last year, but their goal for this year's festival is 20,000 over the course of the two-day festival.

"Due to budget cuts, we had to make this year's festival shorter than last year's, and we also have to charge to get in for the first time," Keselica said.

The festival will feature many of the events the public has come to love about each year's FoxFireFest, including the Walkabout Theatre and Art & Soul on the Fox, the art show that is one of the main attractions.

"For 49 years, the AAUW (American Association of University Women) has put on this show, but for the first time it will be put on by Art for All," said the group's chairwoman, Sandy Kaptain.

The show will feature 60 artists from around the Midwest, but read the side story on the art show to learn all about it.

The Elgin Climate Change Organization will also have a booth, as part of the city's push to become more environmentally friendly.

"This is part of our effort to protect the environment and educate the public on how to do so," said ECCO board member Kathy Haerr.

Combining environmental awareness and artistry is the popular rain barrel project. Rain barrels are bought by different nonprofit groups which commission area artists to paint them and are then sold in a silent auction at FoxFireFest.

"The rain barrels are meant to encourage water conservation, because so much good water is wasted by simply draining into the sewer system," Haerr said.

Several additions have been made to this year's festival, including the Box City, where kids get to build their own cities out of cardboard boxes. It is in essence a glorified 3-D version of the popular computer game Sim City.

"It shows the importance of laying out a city, that a city is not something that just happens," Keselica said.

Rather than a fireworks show, the festival will feature a pyrotechnic show Saturday night, which takes place much closer to the ground with music serving as a backdrop.

Music spanning four decades will be played, including songs by the Eagles, Paul McCartney, Duran Duran, Nirvana, Fall Out Boy and several others.

At 5:30 p.m. Sunday, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra will perform "0 to 60: Music from the ESO's 1st and 60th Seasons" in an outdoor performance.

The Daily Herald is a major sponsor of the FoxFireFest, as are several area businesses, including Best Buy and Comcast. The festival will take place from noon to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, and noon to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2.

For details FoxFireFest, call (847) 531-7056 or go to the group's Web site at cityofelgin.org/foxfirefest.

<p class="factboxheadblack">Elgin FoxFireFest</p> <p class="News"><b>When:</b> Noon to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, and noon to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2</p> <p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Festival Park in downtown Elgin</p> <p class="News"><b>How much?</b> $5 before 5 p.m., $10 Saturday after 5 p.m.</p> <p class="News"><b>Details:</b> Call (847) 531-7056 or go to the festival's Web site at <a href="http://cityofelgin.org/foxfirefest" target="new">cityofelgin.org/foxfirefest</a>.</p> <div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=309680">Art and Soul to feature 60 artists <span class="date">[7/29/09]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=309681">Duck Pluck makes debut at FoxFireFest<span class="date">[7/29/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>