Relive the Sights and Sounds of Oak Fest on Patch

See what you might have missed from the week long festival.

A Watermelon Feast at Oak Fest

See who competed in the classic summer festival feature known as a watermelon eating contest.

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Patch's Quick Guide to Oak Fest 2012

Oak Fest starts today! Have you planned out where you'll be and what you'll do?

Oak Fest, the annual festival to help local groups raise money, kicks off tonight. The next seven days are packed with fun activities, a variety of musical acts and a little something for everyone. Oak Forest Patch is the place to find out what's going on and where you need to be for all of the action. Where to begin The place to start is Patch's Oak Fest main page. Peruse Patch's coverage leading up to the festival and the excellent photo galleries and stories being posted through the week. Take a couple of minutes each day of the Fest and check out all the cool activities going on. What to do All this week, Patch has featured some of the new or more interesting features of Oak Fest for this year. The Ticket to Oak Fest series is …

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Ticket to Oak Fest 2012: Fun for the Whole Family

Pack up the family and head over to Oak Fest on Saturday for a slew of fun activities.

The Main Event: Family Fun Day When: Saturday, June 30 Take Note: The country line dance begins at 2:50 p.m. Families will find an entire day devoted to them at Oak Fest. Saturday is "Family Fun Day" and is packed with activities. Special needs families can start early with an hour of free carnival rides. This goes from 11 a.m. to noon. The rest of Family Fun Day kicks off at noon and runs until 3 p.m., said Connie Barrera, an Oak Fest commissioner. New for this year will be a performance by Oak Forest High School's Bengal varsity cheerleaders, Barrera said. That starts at 2:35 p.m. The theme is country day, so there will, of course, be a country line dance at 2:50 p.m. to cap off the family fun activities. But stick around later for the …

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Ticket to Oak Fest 2012: A Carnival for All

Kids of all ages (and parents, too!) will be amused at all the amusement to behold in Oak Fest 2012 carnival.

The Main Event: The Carnival  When: Starts 6 p.m. on week nights and noon on weekends for the general public. Shuts down at 10 p.m. every night. Take Note: From 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 30, the carnival will open up only to children with special needs. Nothing draws a crowd like a carnival. The one coming to Oak Fest is put on by Spectacular Midways. (You be the judge if it lives up to its name.) "We get a lot of feedback from young families wanting entertainment for little kids," said Connie Barrera, an Oak Fest commissioner.  This year, festival organizers made sure that the carnival featured more rides geared toward teenagers, hoping to appeal more to kids of all ages. Also new to this year is closing time. Carnival amusement …

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Oak Fest Looks for Broader Community Appeal

The festival coordinator says he wants to have a more inclusive event.

Joe Koce thinks it’s fitting that the 25th anniversary of Oak Fest should also fall on what will be the longest festival since its inception. Koce, who coordinates the annual Oak Forest festival, is looking at this year as the chance to create a more inclusive event. The hope is that those who don’t usually attend will find something appealing in the Fest’s schedule of events. “We’re trying to have as much packed into that Fest as possible,” Koce said. More than two months remain before Oak Fest kicks off in late June. In his 23rd year with the festival, Koce said they’re reaching out to the parts of the community that don’t regularly come out to the Fest. New to this year is the Zoppe Family Circus, a one-ring circus done in Old-World …

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Oak Fest 2012: The Longest—(and Best?)—Yet

Oak Fest will last 7 days this year—the longest it has ever run. But after what some might call a rocky stint last year, is this a good idea? You tell us.

Get ready, Oak Forest. You're in for the Oak Fest to top all Oak Fests this summer. The 2012 festival will span seven days—June 28 through July 4—making it the longest in the event's history. And there are rumors of a circus.  Yep. A circus.  But after what some might call a tumultuous run last year, some residents might be skeptical of the city's decision to extend the event. Last year's event atmosphere was punctuated with news of unruly kids fighting one night, followed by a stabbing days later. Last year, Patch spoke with Police Chief Greg Anderson, who said despite the instances, Oak Fest is truly safe for all those who attend. Officers are circulating through the crowds and around the grounds, Anderson said, keeping an eye out for …

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Police Chief: Victim OK, Post-Fireworks Stabbing 'Not a Gang Situation'

One person was stabbed in an incident at Oak Fest Monday night. The victim and accused knew each other previously, according to Police Chief Greg Anderson. The victim has been treated, released and interviewed by Oak Forest detectives.

One person was stabbed and another sustained minor injuries after a post-fireworks stabbing Monday, July 4, Oak Forest Police Chief Greg Anderson has confirmed. Two men between the carnival and food tent began arguing and a physical altercation ensued around 10:15 p.m. One man was stabbed and the other had minor cuts, scrapes and bruises, Anderson said. The case is currently under investigation. No charges had been filed as of 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 5. The two involved knew each other previously and had argued before, Anderson said. "This was not a gang situation," Anderson told Patch. "They knew each other before and had issues." The victim was taken to an area hospital, treated and released. Police found the knife at the scene and …

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Ticket to Oak Fest 2011: Fourth of July Celebration

'For Spacious Skies.' Light up your night with a great fireworks show, music and carnival rides.

Ah ... the Fourth of July, that monumental day when we celebrate our independence, history and democratic values across the U.S. And what better way to do so than with a bang. At the 24th Annual Oak Fest, today, technicians are preparing what looks to be the best fireworks show the city has ever seen. “It's going to be a heck of a fireworks show this year,” said fest chairmen Joseph Koce. “They raised the bar on it.” From 9:15 p.m. to 10:15 p.m., Oak Forest residents and fest-goers alike will find it easiest to view the fireworks from inside or nearby the fest. So park your car, find a place to sit and enjoy the show! Carnival Craze When's the last time you tossed a ping-pong ball into a goldfish bowl, or rode the carousel and Dragon Wagon…

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