🎃 Local-ish fall festivals

Now that autumn has officially arrived, let’s run through some of the local pumpkin patches, apple orchards and fall festivals that are worth checking out this season.

✔️ Abbey Farms' Pumpkin Daze (Aurora): Running daily through October 27, this festival features a corn maze, zip lines, a petting zoo and even a corn cannon (I’d never heard of that?). For you adults — head to the craft beer tent and live music.

✔️ Goebbert's Pumpkin Patch (Pingree Grove): Open daily through Halloween, Goebbert's is pulling out all the stops with a Pumpkin Express train, a haunted house and pig races. And where else can you get camel and pony rides around here?

✔️ Kuipers Family Farm (Maple Park): Kuipers is serving up their annual slice of family paradise through November 3. Apple picking, a pumpkin patch, farm animals, a mountain slide, playgrounds and a corn maze are just the beginning.

✔️ Windy Acres Farm (Geneva): With over five acres of fall festivities and 40+ attractions — plus live music, a beer garden and a zipline — you might have to come back for more than just one weekend. Open through Halloween.

✔️ Fox River Trolley Museum's Ghost Train (South Elgin): For something a little different, hop aboard the Ghost Train on select Saturdays in October. Don your favorite Halloween costume if you’re feeling adventurous.

✔️ Sonny Acres Farm (West Chicago): Classic fall family fun with amusement rides, hayrides and bounce houses. Plus apples are in season for picking — and they’ve got an outdoor restaurant.

✔️ Tom's Farm Market (Huntley): Head over to Tom's through October for a proper autumn experience. In addition to dozens of activities, you can get your pumpkins, mums and gourds — or hit up their bakery and cafe.

📰 News to use

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☑️ Saga continues: The condition of Geneva’s former blacksmith shop was the main topic at recent hearing after the city cited the owners for failing to maintain the historic building's exterior.

☑️ Crime cases: A North Aurora man was sentenced to eight years for a DUI crash that killed a motorcyclist in Batavia last year. Another North Aurora man was charged with sharing child porn.

☑️ Road diet: Work on the Route 31/Batavia Avenue “Road Diet” project is set to begin on Monday (9/30). Drivers should expect delays in areas from Fabyan Parkway to Mooseheart Road.

☑️ Organized crime: Geneva police assisted an Illinois state task force with an investigation that resulted in charges for two women for their roles in a multi-county retail theft ring.

☑️ Local elections: Early voting for the 2024 General Election begins today (9/26) — get more info on times, dates and early voting locations.

🔒 Budget adoption: The Geneva school board approved a new budget earlier this week — which includes nearly $19M more expenditures than last year.

🏘️ In the community

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☑️ Win for pedestrians: Navigating downtown Elburn on foot should get easier now that the village will be getting new crosswalks with signs and flashing lights at three intersections along Main Street.

☑️️ Big unveiling: Primrose Farm in St. Charles will open its brand-new Education Center facility on Saturday — complete with an open house featuring refreshments and giveaways.

🔒 Change is brewing: Bethany Covenant Church in St. Charles (which used to meet at Dimples Donuts) will begin holding services at Pollyanna Brewing Company on Sunday. 

☑️ Weekend pics: See photos from "It’s Our Fox River Day" events in the Tri-Cities as well as pictures from the Pints on the Pond event in downtown Batavia.

☑️ Art on display: Head to the St. Charles Public Library to check out an exhibit by Batavia artist/photographer Hans Kaiser now through October.

☑️ Fall colors: If it seems like the leaves are changing colors more quickly than normal, you’re not imagining it — and you can probably thank the recent hot/dry spell.

🎸 Live music

After a lot of recent travel, it was fantastic to spend last Saturday afternoon taking in some live music on the patio at Pollyanna. More local venues should consider hosting performances during that mid-afternoon time slot!

Check out the full slate of performances across Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles this weekend.

_{LOCAL SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT}

🍂 Treat your feet at The Little Traveler this weekend

Not only does The Little Traveler offer a carefully curated collection of stylish seasonal items, but they’re also running a limited-time Fall Shoe Show special.

Purchase autumn footwear this weekend (Sep 27-29) and you’ll receive a Little Traveler gift card! ($20 for a shoe purchase of $100 or more and $10 for a shoe purchase of under $100).  

🏬 Local biz

☑️ Agro aid: Kane County has launched a new grant program (which is now accepting applications) for local food-growing businesses and nonprofits that were affected by the pandemic.

☑️ New STC arrivals: StrIVeMD Wellness and Ketamine Clinics of St. Charles celebrated a ribbon cutting this week (see photos), plus Studio Genesis (a new hair loss and replacement studio) is celebrating a grand opening on Monday (9/30).

☑️ Award winner: Penrose Brewing brought home six medals from the U.S. Open Hard Seltzer Championship for their Seltz-Up series — including two golds.

🗓️ Events & things to do

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Oktoberfest events this weekend

• Brother Chimp Oktoberfest | Fri 9/27, 12PM - Sun 9/29, 7PM | Brother Chimp Brewing, North Aurora

• Oktoberfest Celebration | Sat 9/28, 11AM - Sun 9/29, 2AM | Filling Station, STC

  Riverlands Oktoberfest | Sat 9/28, 12PM - Sun 9/29, 4PM | Riverlands Brewing, STC

• Obscurity Oktoberfest | Sat 9/28, 3PM - Sun 9/29 | Obscurity Brewing, Elburn

• Sidecar Oktoberfest | Sat 9/28, 4PM | Sidecar Supper Club, Batavia

Regular happenings

☑️️ Patio Wine Tasting | Fri 9/27, 4-7PM | Geneva Wine Cellars | Taste luxury wines paired with charcuterie on the patio.

☑️️ 185th Anniversary Celebration | Fri 9/27, 5PM - Sun 9/29, 12PM | United Methodist Church of Geneva | A unique history program, block party, open house and special worship over three days.

🎟️ Autumn Hayrides | Fri 9/27 - Sat 10/19 | Primrose Farm, STC | Farm fun for the whole family every Friday and Saturday through 10/19.

☑️️ Ecolab: Science of Seed Dispersal | Sat 9/28, 9:30AM | Creek Bend Nature Center, STC | Get fascinating insights into local plants and how their seeds disperse.

☑️️ Day of Play | Sat 9/28, 10AM-5PM | Batavia Depot Museum | A full day of engaging kids’ activities.

🎟️ Illusionist Steve Chezaday | Sat 9/28, 7:30PM | Moonlight Theatre, STC | Feast your eyes on a rising star in the world of magic.

☑️️ Luau Pig Smoke | Sun 9/29, 11AM | Evergreen Pub, STC | A luau party featuring smoked pig and a Hawaiian outfit contest? Aloha!

🌖 Weather snapshot

🌤️ Today: High 77F | Low 57F | Delightful

🌤️ Friday: High 74F | Low 60F | Nice n’ breezy

☁️ Saturday: High 71F | Low 60F | Super cloudy

⛅️ Sunday: High 72F | Low 57F | Mostly cloudy

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