Kids were sprinting from one ride to the next, little flashes of light beaming, even during the day. It was the kind of day that didn’t need much explaining. Families geared up with their kids and friends, drinks in hand, stopping by the many tempting vendors to choose from. It’s no wonder people come year after year; Friendship Fest is a summer staple in Palos Hills.
By mid-afternoon, the festival grounds at Moraine Valley Community College, located on 107th Street and 88th Avenue, were filled with kids taking the staircase at the big Mardi Gras-themed slide, screaming in joy as they slid down, back to back, like a domino stack. Pony tails flying, sneakers pounding the steps, all to sprint back to the ladder to do it all again.
Near the game booths, the Hussein siblings; Noor (7), Rayan (9), Alik (6), and Sal (10), spoke about their favorite parts and showed off their prizes from the day’s adventure.
“The cups!” Rayan said, pointing to one of the many spinning speed rides. The others chimed in on basketball games, the ring toss, anything that got them one step closer to winning.
A few feet away, 10-year-old Makayla Litke had just nailed a round of pitching balls to knock down a stack of plates. “You gotta throw it a little hard,” she said, smiling while clutching her blue stuffed prize.
“I kept my eyes centered on the plate,” Makayla said, her favorite ride so far? “Seven Seas.”
Crowds were forming all around, lines for lemonade moved steadily, music shifted from one decade to another, and shouts of glee hit when someone won a prize.
Antionette Bertucci has worked at Friendship Fest for the past 10 years. On Saturday, she was near the beer tent, chatting with familiar faces and watching folks settle in a good spot. “Every year, I see the same families come back,” she said. “You remember faces, you remember kids growing up, it’s just something I look forward to every summer.”
Nearby, tents near the stage filled quickly as people gathered with drinks and folding chairs. The Ron Burgundys brought ‘80s covers to life, and conversations carried on between sets. One moment, someone was singing along to a familiar chorus; the next, cheering on a friend to dance on the grass.
Funnel cakes, prizes, live music, and good spirits made the four days of Palos Hills Friendship Fest feel like the center of summer in a parking lot.
