After 30 years, Eagle Fest continues to soar
By Abby Walton
In the fall of 1983, Ron Schulte and Ken Baker of the Zionsville Athletic Boosters Club were kicking around ideas about how to get people interested in the upcoming football season.
“We really wanted to get the community together and get them excited about the new school year,” Schulte said.
So they decided to have a big tailgate party to celebrate the first Friday night of high school football.
“Back then, we just had a few grills and made brats, hotdogs and hamburgers,” he said.
For an hour and a half before the game, Schulte said about 500 people came out to eat and listen to the band and swing choir.
“We had a great time and made a little bit of money which we split between the athletic and band departments,” he said.
Fast forward 30 years, and that small idea called Eagle Fest, has morphed into a large-scale, save-the-date event for the Zionsville community.
“Aside from being fun, it’s also the largest fundraiser of the year for Zionsville Community School’s athletic programs,” said Pam Diagostino, the co-chair for this year’s festival.
Diagostino, who also sits on the Zionsville Athletic Boosters Club board of directors, said all the money raised from Eagle Fest goes to support athletic programs at Zionsville High School and the two middle schools.
“Schools everywhere are seeing budget cuts, and this is just a way to give back and keep these programs in place by helping out with money for transportation, equipment, referees and other expenses,” Diagostino said.
Just like the first Eagle Fest, this year’s event will take place before the first home football game from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 23at Jennings Field which is across from the football stadium. That night there will be a Kid’s Zone with several bounce houses, a Sports Zone where kids can interact with coaches and athletes, a Talent Show, music and even a dunk tank featuring VIP guests like ZCS Supt. Dr. Scott Robison.
“The dunk tank always goes over really well with the kids,” Diagostino said.
Besides the fun and games, Diagostino said Texas Roadhouse and Coke will provide food and beverages while the community enjoys appearances by the ZCS marching band, cheerleaders and dance team.
“Last year, we had around 2,000 people and this year, hopefully we can bring in another thousand,” Diagostino said.
For people like Schulte, who helped start Eagle Fest, the fact that it’s still around 30 years later isn’t a surprise.
“I knew it would be a success by its fourth year when people would ask ‘When’s Eagle Fest?’ Not when does school start or when’s the first football game, but what day was the festival,” Schulte said.
As the festival grows larger, so has the need for volunteers.
“We couldn’t do this without our volunteers,” Diagostino said.
Students and parents from the different athletic teams and clubs help out as well as members of the community.
“We’re always looking for volunteers,” Diagostino said.
While Eagle Fest started as a way to bring the community back together after summer break, it’s now a way to make sure local athletes have what they need. The ZCS Athletic Boosters Club is a non-profit, volunteer organization that not only helps pay for the different needs of the athletic programs, but also provides two college scholarships each year. All proceeds raised from events like Eagle Fest are donated to the middle schools and high school athletic departments for their discretionary use with all sports programs.
“It really is wonderful how the community always comes out to support our local athletic programs,” Diagostino said.
While the economy has made Eagle Fest necessary, it’s the people that keep this tradition alive.
“It’s become an event that everyone looks forward to,” Diagostino said.
While its purpose now is more for financial reasons, at its core, Eagle Fest will always be what Schulte and Baker envisioned, an event that brings the community together to re-charge after summer break and get pumped up for the new year ahead.
To help out with this year’s Eagle Fest, contact the Zionsville High School athletic department at 873-3355.