The West Side Nut Club Fall Festival is underway on Franklin Street. WNIN’s John Gibson has more:
The 104th festival began in a low-key way Sunday afternoon with Family Day – an event for families with small children to enjoy kiddie rides and treats without the chaos of the big crowds.
But now, the weeklong festival shifts into high gear with more than 135 food booths open for lunch and dinner, dozens of carnival rides, live music, talent competitions, parades, and a huge half-pot sweepstakes.
Ticket sales for the half-pot were already approaching $500,000 Monday morning.
Last year, the total topped $2 million.
Much of the money raised by the Nut Club goes to schools and other organizations.
Meanwhile, the food booths raise funds for more than 130 individual non-profits.
The fest recently topped a USA Today readers’ poll as the best fall festival in the nation.
And the Nut Club is the subject of a new documentary on WNIN TV and at wnin.org