Naperville loves its outdoor events, despite storms and lightning strikes

Many of the longest running traditions in Naperville — parades, Municipal Band Concerts, Exchange Club Ribfest, Naperville Woman’s Club Fine Art Fair, Jaycees Last Fling, and the Riverwalk Fine Art Fair — are set up outdoors in the city’s parks, dependent on dry weather no matter what the season.

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Every year, thousands of visitors are attracted to the special fundraising events held to shine light on a quality of life and can-do spirit that enjoys bringing folks together for many charitable causes.

This weekend, the Naperville Jaycees are hosting their annual Last Fling, a four-day family festival to mark the end of the summer and the beginning of the school year.  The enormous event — spread out all along Jackson Ave. west of Main Street, along the Riverwalk to Rotary Hill and across Aurora Avenue to Naper Settlement — is a showcase of smaller attractions, concerts, live entertainment, carnival rides and other amusements for all ages.

So far, Mother Nature has not been cooperating this Labor Day weekend.  Friday evening the clouds opened up just as youngsters were beginning to enjoy their first rounds of rides along the Midway. Then Saturday morning when decisions had to be announced regarding the 10AM opening of the Midway and the 11AM Bed Races, buckets poured on downtown Naperville.

You just can’t control Mother Nature.  Certainly, the Midwest needs the rain.  Yet, a little break from the storms during the day this weekend would be welcome.

Still, look at the bright side.  Photographers who normally would not be outside in such weather can have a field day when they look up into the cloudy skies, capturing amazing images they otherwise would miss.

According to the post on August 31 in Ben Franklin’s Almanac of Wit, Wisdom and Practical Advice, you can expect “rain when dogs eat grass, cats wash behind their ears or donkeys bray. You can expect “a storm when foxes bark at night.”

To keep up with the schedule of events at the Last Fling, visit www.lastfling.org.

Rotary Hill / Moser Tower Photos courtesy of Jim Hoch (Taken PM August 30).   

Porter Avenue / Naperville Central High School Photos by PN (Taken AM August 31)

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RELATED POSITIVELY NAPERVILLE POST: Last Fling this Weekend / Labor Day Parade at 10AM Monday

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