May 05, 2025
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Event to benefit McHenry County mental health agencies set this weekend in Woodstock

By Lindsay Weber
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Armed with umbrellas and galoshes, attendees of the 50th annual Fair Diddley flooded Woodstock's historic square in 2018 to visit more than 300 vendors. (Lindsay Weber)

WOODSTOCK – In its 51st year, Fair Diddley once again will take over the historic Woodstock Square from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The Mental Health Resource League for McHenry County hosts the craft event. More than 300 vendors will set up shop offering jewelry, wooden crafts, soaps and lotions, candles, art, plants and food for purchase by attendees. 50/50 raffle tickets will also be sold, the winner to be drawn at the close of the event.

One hundred percent of the net proceeds from Fair and Fall Diddley are donated to 18 McHenry County agencies that deal with mental health-related issues.

Last year’s Fair and Fall Diddley brought in more than $200,000. The MHRLMC hopes to exceed last year’s donations.

Fair Diddley is run solely by volunteers from the League as well as volunteers from recipient agencies.

“It’s the right hand feeding the left,” Mental Health Resource League for McHenry County President Cheryl Eno said. “State funding for organizations that provide mental health resources is particularly unreliable. What these agencies do is important to the overall mental health of the community. One of the ways we can help them is through financial support.”

Last year’s Fair Diddley saw large amounts of rainfall, but that did not stop people from coming out to shop, eat and socialize. Eno said they hope this year’s event will not see any torrential downpours.

Shuttle buses will be available to take patrons to and from the Woodstock Square, picking up from the west end of the Government Center parking lot and dropping off at the corner of Calhoun and Johnson streets, just outside the Woodstock Square. Shuttles will run every 10 minutes from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There is no fee for the shuttle service.

The league is always looking for sponsors and volunteers for events. Interested parties can visit mhrl.org for more information.

The 2019 Fall Diddley is scheduled for Oct. 12-13 at the Boone County Fairgrounds, after which the League will prepare for their 52nd Fair Diddley.

“It’s a tradition in this area,” Eno said. “If you’ve been doing it for 51 years, you must be doing something right.”