Annual Daisy Days brings lots of smiles in Clarendon Hills as the village celebrates its centennial

There were lots of smiles to be seen Friday and Saturday at Clarendon Hills’ annual Daisy Days event in the village’s downtown.

And the smiles on the faces of children, parents, and other adults made for a very happy Shannon McDonald, executive director of the Clarendon Hills Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the largest annual event in town that was extra special this year because Clarendon Hills is celebrating its centennial in 2024.

“Daisy Days was a great success,” McDonald said. “We are pleased at how many people joined us on Saturday for our for special Centennial features. The Centennial Car Show had a crowd outside, and Village Hall was packed for the Clarendon Hills Documentary Premiere.”  McDonals said while celebrating the past, event organizers also looked toward the future of the village with the Daisy Shoppe Market for Young Entrepreneurs.

“It was amazing walking over with a group of kids looking to support their peers entrepreneurial efforts,” she said.

The best part about Daisy Days is that it is truly a community experience, McDonald said.

“Our local businesses, such as Clarendon Hills Bank, Clarity Physical Therapy and Wellness Center invested in the event because they know it’s good for the village,” she said. “Other businesses, such as Birches and Clarendon Hills Music Academy are helping to grow the event through added features and entertainment, while the Village of Clarendon Hills brings the essentials for safety and setup.

“As a 15-year resident of the village myself, I listen to the feedback from my community and work to shape an event that makes us all proud to call Clarendon Hills home.”

Brian Rheaume has lived in Clarendon Hills for three years and attended Daisy Days Saturday with his wife and two children, ages 6 and 2.

“We like the carnival rides, the cotton candy and snow cones,” Rheaume said. “It’s a really nice event. It’s super close to home and offers a great opportunity to meet friends and classmates.”

Don and Rita Bowman made the drive to Daisy Days Saturday with their two grandchildren, ages 7 and 3.

“We came with the kids last year, too,” Don Bowman said. “It’s not very far for us to come here, and the kids really enjoy it. It’s a great opportunity to be outside, and they have the carnival rides for younger kids, and some good food and entertainment.”

McDonald said the crowd size for the evening entertainment — Libido Funk Circus on Friday and “Are You Ready For It? A Taylor Experience,” which is a Taylor Swift tribute show — were the largest ever at Daisy Days.

“The Chamber really wanted to bring two very different performances, and I think it paid off,” she said. “With classic rock/disco funk on Friday and the Taylor Experience on Saturday, we were able to entice more attendees to enjoy our downtown Clarendon Hills energy.”

As has been the case in past years, the Daisy Days weekend ended Sunday with the Daisy Dash 5K  and Kids Fun Run.

The overall winner in the 5K competition was Charles Harders, 24, of Western Springs, who was clocked in 15 minutes 15 seconds.

Clarendon Hills residents Colin Yandel, 23, and Jan Erik Naess, 25, finished second and third, respectively, with times of 16:14 and 16:50.

The top female finisher was Jeannie Sullivan, 43, of Clarendon Hills, who crossed the finish line in 19:34. Next to finish among the women were Elena Vlahos, 13, of Westmont, in 22:05, and Alyssa Reynolds, 34, of Westmont, in 23:48.

Complete race results can be found by clicking on 2024 Results at www.daisydash.com.

Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.