“An entire sea of water can’t sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship. Similarly, the negativity of the world can’t put you down unless you allow it to get inside you.” - Goi Nasu

The City of Darien and the Darien Chamber of Commerce will be holding our annual Darienfest celebration on August 9 -11 at Westwood Park, and my hope is for great weather, good music and an enjoyable and safe weekend for all attendees.

This will be our 36th Darienfest celebration, and having attended each of these events, I always try to find something different, something unique to each of these fest weekends. Maybe it’s the food, a musical group or some happening that reminds me of that specific fest. If I go back 36 years, I can fill a journal with all the memories I have of Darienfest weekends. Were they all perfect, no, but rather than complain, I prefer to adopt a positive attitude, and to always find a way to enjoy each fest weekend.

There will be some who will look at this event and this weekend through a negative “lens;” maybe they don’t like the location, the food or maybe they just don’t care for the large crowd or gathering of people that takes place with each Darienfest. Rather than looking for a positive and taking some time to possibly enjoy one or more aspects of the fest, they will allow a negative attitude to keep them from enjoying this event.

As the saying goes, “An entire sea of water can’t sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship. Similarly, the negativity of the world can’t put you down unless you allow it to get inside you.” As with so many things in life, we often waylay our potential to see the goodness surrounding us due to our inability to rid ourselves of the negativity in our lives. As I stated earlier, Darienfest is not a perfect event, but if we look at it in a new light; as a way of getting out of the house, spending time with friends and family, we will find that we have given ourselves a chance to have a wonderful weekend.

I hope to see you there!

National Night Out

Tuesday, August 6th, 2024  5pm – 8pm

Westwood Park

(N/E Corner of 75th St and Fairview Ave)

Come out and meet your neighbors and help make our neighborhoods safer!

* Touch-a-Truck * Games * K9 Demo *  

* Darien-Woodridge Fire Department * 

* Tri-State Fire Department * 

* Vendors * Blood Drive*

The event will feature:

Contact Sgt. Doug Rumick 630-353-8304 or drumick@darienil.gov, Ofc. Lauren Throm 630-353-8303 or lthrom@darienil.gov if you would like to represent your business or group at the event. View Flyer

Darien Fest: August 9-11

Join us for Darien Fest, August 9 - 11 at Westwood Park (northeast corner of 75th St. and Fairview Ave.). There will be carnival rides, food and drinks, and live entertainment daily! Unlimited ride specials are available.

Entertainment includes:

• Friday - Cadillac Groove
• Saturday - Lyn Skynyrd
• Sunday - Whiskey Road

NO pets, bikes, coolers or outside food and beverages are allowed inside the grounds.

The event is presented by the City of Darien and the Darien Chamber of Commerce. View Details.

The Summer Concert Series

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Cadillac Groove last week! It was a fun show and we can't wait to see you again on August 29 for our last summer concert featuring Reckless. Bring your friends and family for an evening of fun starting at 6:00 p.m. You can bring a blanket or lawn chair and relax at the park while enjoying food from great local restaurants. Cleaning supplies and canned goods donations are being collected before the show and will go to the Mount Carmel Food Pantry.

Lock it or Lose It

Did You Know? A thief can steal valuables from your vehicle in less than 30 seconds; it takes less than 20 seconds for you to remove them. A vehicle with an unlocked door or an open window is an easy target. Protect your valuables (phone, laptop, tablet, wallet, purse, etc.) from theft by following these simple precautions:

• Always lock your vehicle's doors and remove valuables or at least keep them out of sight.
• Never leave your vehicle unattended while it is unlocked.
• If you have a garage, use it and lock the door.
• Never leave your car keys in plain view or in an easily accessible area.
• Use tire and/or wheel locks.
• If you must leave valuable objects or packages in your vehicle, lock them in the trunk.
• Park in well-lit areas when possible.
• Avoid parking near large vehicles and bushes as they provide cover for thieves.
• Call 911 if you see somebody looking into windows, pulling door handles or checking for alarms by bumping windows or bumpers.

It's Bat Season

Illinois has thirteen species of bats, all of which eat insects. Bats are a protected species and should be treated with care and consideration. However, bats can carry rabies, a deadly virus that affects the brain and nervous system. Rabies is spread by bites or saliva from infected animals. If you find a bat in your home, Do Not Touch the bat with your bare hands.

If you are able to do so without putting yourself at risk you can attempt to contain it by placing a cardboard box, bucket, or blanket over it and then closing the door to that room. Do not kill or release the bat outdoors until after speaking with animal control and public health officials to help determine if you, your household members, or pets could have been exposed to rabies and need preventive treatment.

All animal bites to humans that occur in DuPage County must be reported to DuPage County Animal Services at (630) 407-2800; fax reports to (630) 407-2801. All potential human rabies exposures must be reported to the DuPage County Health Department at (630) 221-7553 or after hours at (630) 682-7400. Learn more here.

Before You Toss It...

Check to see if your items can be repaired before sending them to the landfill. DuPage County recently released an online Repair Guide to help you find professionals to repair items like rugs, vacuums, lawn equipment, crystal and more. You can conserve valuable resources while extending the life of your favorite items!

Are you more of a "Do-It-Yourself" kind of person? Check out iFixit.com, Joliet Junior College, and SCARCE for fix-it guides, repair cafes, and more. Not only will you be saving the planet, you'll also be saving money!

Back to School - Pedestrian Safety

Believe it or not, August has arrived and kids will be headed back to school in a few weeks. This is a great time to start practicing good pedestrian habits with your children to ensure that they know how to navigate back-to-school traffic safely. The NHTSA encourages everyone to follow these tips:

• Use the sidewalk whenever possible, and if there isn’t a sidewalk, walk on the edge of the street facing traffic.
• Whenever they are available, use marked crosswalks to cross the street, and look left-right-left for vehicles or bikes before crossing.
• Continue to look for vehicles as you cross the street.
• Never play, push or shove others when you walk around traffic.
• Keep your heads up. Everyone should watch the road, not their phones.
• Learn more here.

City Council Meeting - August 5

The City Council will meet on Monday, August 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Darien City Hall. View the agenda here.

Planning and Zoning Meeting - August 7

The Planning & Zoning Commission will meet on Wednesday, August 7 at 7:00 p.m. at Darien City Hall. View the agenda here.

Darien Woman’s Club Fall Member Registration is now OPEN: link

Youth Basketball Workouts - August 3: link

Darien Garden Club - My Garden Show and Tell - August 5: link

National Night Out - August 6: link

Darien Fest - August 9 - 11: link

Darien Sprouts Pickle Party - August 18: link