Python, Baby Alligator Wow Crowd at Village Hall

Arnold Swartzigator wasn't afraid of the threat of rain showers Friday.

Neither were the approximately 300 moms, dads, grandparents and children who came out to for the Samantha and Her Amazing Animals show.

A North American baby alligator, native to Florida and Louisiana was greeted with "oooos and awwwwws" from the crowd.

Samantha Martin, owner of the Chicago-based traveling zoo, wasn't at Friday's event. Martin, who has appeared with her warm- and cold-blooded friends on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Animal Planet, is touring the country with the Samantha and the Amazing Acrobats show, featuring trained house cats.

In her place was Renee Cajandig, Martin's animal expert and zoo presenter, and Allison Geisser, Martin's assistant.

"We bring the animals to you," Cajandig told the families. "You get a chance to meet the animals up close and personal."

Cajandig showed a variety of animal species, including Timmy the 35-year-old red-footed tortoise, native to South America; Puff the bearded dragon, a beige-colored desert native; Julius Squeezer, a young Burmese python; Henrietta the hen; and Chilly the chinchilla.

Also in attendance were a couple of energetic ferrets, a prairie dog and a lemur.

Excellent Turnout for Village Event

Megan Melendez, recreation supervisor for Lake in the Hills Parks and Recreation Department, organized the event and said she expected about 150 people to attend the animal show.

The crowd ended up taking up all the parking spaces at Village Hall and neighboring Lincoln Prairie Elementary School, then resorted to parking at the nearby Costco.

"I think the turnout is great, especially with the weather," Melendez said. "We probably have about 300 people or more."

After seeing the animal presentation, children had the opportunity to play on a giant inflatable slide and check out free fun in the Game It Up trailer, a mobile video-gaming company, based in Cary, offering XBox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3 games.

More Summer Program Coming

Friday's free animal show is just one of many summer programs planned by the Parks and Recreation Department. It was part of the department's "Get Out and Get Pinned" events, which allow residents to collect summer button pins for each program they attend.

Participants will receive discount certificates — good toward future LITH Parks and Recreation programs — at the end of the summer based upon the number of buttons they collect.