Spring weather draws crowd to Chambers annual expo

By Long Hwa-shu For Sun-Times Media March 31, 2014 7:12PM

Sister Marie Therese of St. Roger Abbey French Style Gourmet Patisserie talks to an Antioch resident about the fresh baked tarts and croissants for sale at the Spring Expo in Lake Villa. | Tina Johansson/For Sun-Times Media

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Updated: April 1, 2014 2:34AM

With the sun shining Saturday, people showed up in droves to the 11th annul SpringFest in Lake Villa as if to cast off spring fever and renew themselves.

The two-day show, sponsored by the Lindenhurst-Lake Villa Chamber of Commerce, had nearly everything for the rite of spring: house cleaning, maybe a new furnace after the old one had all but conked out, patching up a pock-marked driveway or getting it repaved, and perhaps a home equity line of credit to pay for home improvements.

This is a great community event. It brings people out, said Connie Meadie, executive director of the 240-member chamber of commerce.

We have 83 exhibitors this year. They offer to help whatever people want to do, she added, expressing hope this years attendance record would exceed last years 3,000.

Lakes Community High School in Lake Villa, where the show was held, was jammed with people Saturday. The mood was upbeat and people were smiling. Not just for adults, the show had children in mind by entertaining them with balloon-making, stilt-walking and face painting, among others. A Sunday highlight was the all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast sponsored by the Lions Club.

Its so good, so delicious, said an appreciative Ron Waltz as he sampled candies from Peters Amish Chocolate of Wilmot, Wis.

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Spring weather draws crowd to Chambers annual expo