seems like each year this fest is getting worse and worse.

here we go again....

I find it very hard to believe somebody would walk 1/2 a mile and wait a hour to report being stabbed. Why wouldn't they tell the police what happened? Kinda seems a little fishy to me.

Let's remember this was after Oak Fest was closed and outside the Oak Fest grounds. Police presence was increased in the outer perimeter outside of the fest grounds during the fireworks display and after during the mass exodus of patrons. Also with uncooperative victims it is hard to find a motive of the attack. Too many open ended questions to directly say that Oak Fest is getting worse and worse. Also remember we are one of the few fireworks displays in the area and attract other towns other than Oak Forest residence to the show. The description of the attacker also does not sound like last year's attacker either.
Shutting down the carnival at 10pm also was a good idea as this year to the best of my knowledge there were no fights in the carnival area proper.

Every year my family and I look forward to OakFest. We plan weeks in advance where all our friends and family will meet to enjoy music by Infinity, it has become one of our summer tradition. But I do have to agree, that this event is getting worse every year! Gangs (wannabes), punks, drunks, underage drinking, loud mouth fools are ruining it for others. This year’s carnival was horrible and all it does is bring in trash that our city doesn’t need! Maybe it’s time Oak Forest looks for an alternative to OakFest!!!

It didn't actually happen at Oak Fest... it was after it was over and it a couple blocks away. I would guess the victims were on their way out of Oak Fest, but we can't blame this on the festivities themselves. From where I was, I noticed heavier security than previous years, but at that didtance from the location of Oak Fest itself, I wouldn't doubt there was little or no security because it's away from the borders of the actual venue.

I also wouldn't jump to say that Oak Fest is getting worse, it's the kids that come that get stupider about their behavior. From the vague story and description that the police got from the victims, it sounds like the victims are not really telling the whole truth. I passed a few obnoxious and vulgar teens verbally disrespecting the security that was there on my way home, and was shocked at how casual they were about it. But I wouldn't blame their behavior on Oak Fest, its the lack of morals they are being taught and they happen to all come to Oak Fest because of the limited 4th of July activities in the immediate area.

There was also some type of skirmish right before the fireworks started on the walking path by the detention pond around 9:15 or 9:30. Don't know if it was the same people involved but several onlookers gave chase to stop it from escalating.

I have lived in this town for the past 18 years. My parents moved my siblings and I here when I was five because of the way our neighborhood was changing. Oak Forest was our solace. I grew up with an ideal childhood. Friendly neighbors and faces were wherever you went. Now years later, it sadly isn't the case. Now don't get me wrong, I still love this town and truly believe it has good, honest, and kind people in it. Unfortunately however, there are a few bad apples that ruin it for everyone. These kids who deem themselves "'hood" and "gangstas" need to be dropped off somewhere in Chicago and see what it means to be "ghetto." All this boils down to is poor choices by bored suburban children. It's sad that their way of dealing with situations is violence. We, as a community, need to find a way to come together and make this stop. If we don't intervene now, someone is going to need more than just a few stitches.

I was at the fireworks and I saw a lot of punks and trash! Punk kids hanging out on their bikes in the middle of the path staring people down not moving when familes were trying to get through. I got to raiders field at about 8:15 and I saw one police car trying to find out who was lighting the fireworks. After that, nada! Numerous people were lighting those laterns with the huge flames on a crowded field. Nobody stopped them. I lived in OF for 25 years and enjoyed the fireworks but sadly my husband will not go back next year after what he saw.

Oak Fest I agree isn't what it used to be. But there is the park on the other side of the retention pond where there is no real idiocy going on and you're away from all the bs. Oak fest still isn't horrible, just needs to eliminate the punks and prostitots

Nick - Do the comments from Patch's Facebook page make it to here?

I enjoyed the fireworks however there were no volunteers directing traffic outside of the parking lot. It took over an hour to even get to 159th Street. There were no police anywhere except at the main intersections. More police and volunteers are needed from 10-11 p.m. in the parking lot to help guide people out of the lot. I'm sorry someone was stabbed however the extreme heat I'm sure played a big factor.

We drove down 155th St. to avoid traffic on 159th St. That was a big mistake. They need to have police on the corners to assist with the foot traffic of all the folks who park in St. Damien's parking lot. I was surprised by the side of the crowd walking from the fireworks and I'm not surprised that something bad can happen in a crowd that size.

I had a great time with my family at Oak Fest...I go every year. I guess its your experience. There are going to be punks and ignorant people at Oak Fest. Either you let it ruin your time or you don't. You can't fix everyone you have a problem with. It takes all kinds.

I have been hearing that this was the last year for Oak fest any way because the property has been sold. If anyone knows anything more on this please comment.
I like many other people enjoy the fireworks and would miss it dearly.

these days you never know wouldn't be surprised if they were fighting each other and just don't want to get in any trouble so blame it on the long haired guy.

@tired of the BS I agree with you but if I don't feel safe. I had a 3 year old in tow. I would have felt a lot safer if I saw more police presence (on foot). Maybe they were there and I just didn't see em but I was looking. I didnt care for the fireworks being blown off behind me or the huge laterns being sent off. I'm just paranoid about that stuff especially when you don't know it's happening and flames are floating over your head. OF sure isn't the same place I grew up but is anywhere really? Too bad though....

I went to the first night of Oak Fest and I didn't run into any problems at all. The people, music and fireworks were great. I also have young children and I wasn't worried about their safety that night.

My husband and I had an in depth talk about this tonight. We have always looked forward to going, however we have agreed that our 10 year tradition of seeing the Oak Fest fireworks has come to an end. It's bad enough we don't go into the fest anymore... But we should feel safe on the lawn of the high school with our children. Instead we have people blowing off bottle rocket type fireworks behind us (from the corner houses off of 151st and Mission). We have "supposed" stabbings a few blocks from where we were sitting. Hardly any police presence. It's sad really. They claimed to hire a new amusement company so there were more rides geared toward the teens. For what? They don't appreciate it. They are disrespectful to their elders and those who try to make this a nice time for THEM. If my son EVER acted the way some of these kids were... His butt is mine and he knows it. Why? Because I put the fear of GOD in him that's why. I parent my child. I don't let him roam off on his own or get involved with kids I don't know. PERIOD. The parents need to step up and stop hiding behind lame excuses. Be a presence in YOUR child's life. Don't have the time you say? MAKE THE TIME! These are our children. Back when I was their age, if I did something wrong and another adult yelled at me, I listened and kept my mouth, SHUT. It's called RESPECT. They want it so bad but they don't want to give it. Thank you Oak Forest for giving us 10 years of "Oak Fest" memories.

I was at the house that it "happened in front of" and at about 11 is when I was entering the house and nothing was going on. But at about 1 when I was about to go home the street was blocked off and we were unable to leave. There was never any noise of a fight or anything like that.

OAK FEST SHOULD BE MOVED TO GAELIC PARK! THEY SHOULD CHARGE A FEE TO GET INSIDE THE GROUNDS TO KEEP SOME OF THE PUNKS OUT! PUNKS WOULD HAVE A HARDER TIME TRYING TO LURK OUTSIDE THE GROUNDS TO SMOKE POT/DRINK. WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN DONE?

I was at the fest 4 days (mainly in a working capacity). I saw a solid police presence in the fest and outside it. Of course, I saw my share of disrespecting teens but I also saw a hundred times that many that were polite and having a great time! I did not go into the carnival area but my kids told me how much the rides were and I told them I would rather spend a few more bucks and go to Great America! (Over $5 for ONE ride on Gravitron???)

Overall, I'd say it was another great Fest and if you go next year, find one of the folks wearing a blue shirt with OakFest on the back and tell them thanks! They are the commissioners who start work during to winter to make the fest happen! I volunteer for one of the groups that look forward to the funds our group gets from working at the fest!! That money goes a LONG way toward helping us to keep a very successful program going at a high level!

I agree that Oak Fest has lost it's "family" feeling. I noticed a great many "undesireables" especially in the carnival area. I would not have even considered bringing my grandchildren to that carnival. It was almost creepy to walk through. It's a shame...I love Oak Forest and have always enjoyed going to Oak Fest each year but something needs to change. I hope it's not a sign of things to come for our community.

Oak Fest is defintley not what it once was, but you can't say Oak Forest or its residents have gone downhill. People from all over the area come to watch the fireworks and hang out at the carnival; the price we pay for having a good show. As far as the kids who got stabbed, they were stabbed on 155th and made it all the way to 160th?? Why didnt they ask for help from the 10 cops that were patrolling 159th? Sounds fishy!

It is sad that in all of these comments, not one person mentions helping the teens and youths deal with the violence around them. We can place blame on everyone and everything else but the question is, what do you do to make the world a better place for a child, a teen, another person in the community? In other words... do we actually model care and concern for our neighbors or do we just sit and complain about them? The moment someone says, 'They are not my concern' is the moment we have no affect in the words we speak. Adults are the ones to teach kids what community is, and how we are responsible to each other within it.

They should then fence in the entire event and charge a fee to enter. Have police on each side to prevent people from entering who didn't pay. Also they need to LOWER the price of rides for kids. $5 is horrible.

Having lived in Oak Forest for well over twenty years, I have to admit that I go out of my way to avoid Oak Fest like the plague. We (my husband, our four children, myself) attend the fireworks but haven't "camped out" on the grounds in probably four or five years; we stay as far away as possible while still being able to secure a spot where we can see the good majority of the display. While I think it might be a little hyper-critical to bemoan the "lack of police presence" (I'm confident they did the best they could with what they had to work with), a quick drive through the hub of Oak Fest left both of us shaking our heads. I'm glad several people mentioned the lanterns and I will be honest...I'm a little surprised that I saw more than one or two set sail with seemingly no repercussion. The carnival, I feel, is nothing but a draw to chaos. I would sooner refinance the house to pay the exorbitant entry fee for a family of six at Irish Fest @ Gaelic than step foot on the Oak Fest grounds for much, much less cash. I'm wondering what it will take for the city to wake up and realize this affair is headed in the wrong direction. A large scale fight? A homicide? I honestly hope that it doesn't require such a lofty loss to illustrate the need to ditch Oak Fest and take another route toward raising money for local charities, etc.

"Should Oak Fest Charge at the Gate?" http://oakforest.patch.com/articles/should-oak-fest-charge-at-the-gate