The Batavia MainStreet group offered residents one last blast of summer on Sunday with the return of the annual Block Party and Taste of Batavia, which kicked off at 3 p.m. at the Peg Bond Center.
Joyce Klopp and her husband Jody both grew up in Batavia and continue to enjoy attending the annual celebration.
“It’s a great block party,” Joyce Klopp said during the celebration Sunday. “For me, I like seeing all the cars each year and our kids and grandchildren are going to meet us here and we’re spending the rest of the afternoon and evening. We’re going to make a night of it.”
The event included a wide range of food and drinks from area restaurants and bars as well as entertainment provided by Batavia Academy of Dance along with live music from Cheryl Rodey and The Gentlemen.
The Congregational Church of Batavia provided a free family zone for youngsters and the Batavia Depot Museum organized a car show on Houston Street as part of the celebration.
Kristen Desler, assistant director of the Batavia MainStreet group, said the block party is always held on Labor Day weekend.
“We have over 11 food and drink vendors and a lot of our farmers market favorites are here as well as some of our downtown restaurants and breweries,” Desler said before the show opened.
Attendance was expected to be somewhere in the range of 3,500 people, Desler said, adding that the event was, indeed, a last hurrah of summer.
“This is a chance to bring the family, have a real family, friendly event,” she said.
Jody Klopp said he worked for the city of Batavia for 30 years and called himself “a hometown boy.”
“This has become part of the fabric of our community. When they first built this riverwalk and the Peg Bond Center, they said ‘if we build it, they’ll come’ and now we have these great parties and festivals,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity to go and see everything and all the people in the community and see your friends and family.”
Joyce Klopp and her husband Jody both grew up in Batavia and came to the Block Party and Taste of Batavia celebration Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, where they planned to meet their children and grandchildren. (David Sharos/For The Beacon-News)
Once again, the Batavia Mothers’ Club Foundation offered its annual Pie Bake Off, featuring over 15 contestants.
Kathy McCrea of Mokena and her husband Thomas said this was their first time coming to the Batavia festival and wanted to support their daughter Sarah Greenhagen who lives in Batavia and “baked one of the pies.”
“I don’t know what the flavor of choice is. We’ll have to see what the flavors are,” Kathy McCrea said. “There are supposed to be a lot – we’re going to buy some slices for sure.”
Batavia resident Sarah Greenhagen shows off the pie she baked for the Batavia Mothers’ Club pie-baking contest at the Block Party and Taste of Batavia event Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (David Sharos/For The Beacon-News)
Greenhagen said she has lived in Batavia for 10 years and has “done the pie contest twice.”
“I’m a part of the Batavia Mothers’ Club,” Greenhagen said as she showed off her pumpkin cheesecake pie. “For me, with this event, pie is very emblematic of a very close community – a very small community feel and the community really turns out for this reason. It’s very emblematic of what we’re trying to do with the foundation but also for Batavia as a community.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/01/batavia-celebration-offers-a-last-blast-of-summer/
