KEWANEE — Despite sweltering temperatures, Kewanee Hog Days organizers say the annual Labor Day weekend festival still drew strong crowds and positive feedback.
Kaye Finney, co-chair of the Hog Days Committee, said the heat likely affected turnout, especially Friday night’s entertainment. “I believe Friday night attendance for entertainment was way down,” she said. “It wasn’t as busy.”
While Finney didn’t attend the parade, she heard that the streets weren’t as packed as usual and that Saturday’s carnival crowd — typically wall-to-wall after the parade — was lighter. Still, she said the event was far from a failure. Carnival revenue was down only about $1,200, and very few pork chops remained for Monday’s Fire Sale.
Friday night carnival attendance was slightly higher than last year, Finney said, though entertainment crowds lagged. Monday’s Kids Day was a highlight, featuring a popular reptile exhibit where children lined up to hold snakes and lizards. A new attraction — a mechanical pig — was also a hit among younger festivalgoers.
Vendors reported slightly lower sales, but three new vendors have already asked to return next year. Cooler weather on Sunday helped boost attendance at the Craft and Flea Market at West Park, which Finney described as “hopping.”
“I really think we did as well as we did last year,” she said, noting that final figures are still being tallied.
Complaints were minimal, Finney added, and most visitors praised the entertainment lineup. Volunteers, including 8 to 10 city workers each day, helped keep the grounds clean.
This year marked the first Hog Days since longtime co-chairs Larry Flannery and Mike Komnick resigned from the committee. Committee member Janie Metscaviz, who will retire this year after 23 years on the committee, said the group performed admirably. “I think it went excellent considering the year we had,” she said. “We did very, very well.”
Positive feedback and suggestions on social media have inspired organizers to consider reviving past favorites, Finney said, but that will require more volunteers.
“We are very open to change,” she said. “If people want to see things come back or see changes, I say to them, come to the meeting, join the committee and help.”
The Hog Days Committee meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Hog Days building. “I would be very excited to see some new faces,” Finney said.
