2 festival options in Kouts this weekend
By Amy Lavalley Post-Tribune correspondent August 22, 2012 3:18PM
Learn more
For more on the Aukiki River Festival, go to www.kankakeevalleyhistorical
society.org.
For more on Porkfest, check out www.koutsevents.com.
Updated: September 24, 2012 7:44AM
KOUTS — The fifth annual Aukiki River Festival takes place this weekend on the grounds surrounding Collier Lodge, celebrating several eras in the Kankakee River’s history.
The festival has grown over the years, from a one-day event that attracted 700 visitors its first year to a two-day celebration that drew about 3,500 people last year, as well as a growing number of vendors and re-enactors.
While most historical festivals concentrate on one time period, the Aukiki, which is sponsored by the Kankakee Valley Historical Society, touches on Native American and Civil War history, as well as the early 20th century and other time frames.
“We’re doing the whole spectrum of the Kankakee River era,” said John Hodson, the society’s president and founder.
The festival takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday on the grounds of the lodge, on Baums Bridge Road along the river.
Also occurring Saturday in Kouts is that town’s 36th annual Porkfest. Hodson said the two festivals complement each other, and folks often split their day between the two events.
Porkfest starts at 8 a.m. Saturday with a walk/run, and is followed at 10:30 a.m. by a parade through downtown. Live music starts at 11 a.m. Other events include a porkburger eating contest; guessing the weight of a pig; pork-themed food vendors; craft sales; and the festival’s first truck show.
