Bartlett gives thumbs-up to just-ended fest

It took an hour and a half for the large crowds in Bartlett’s Apple Orchard Community Park to exit after the fireworks Monday night.

“We have people coming from all over just for the fireworks,” said Doug August, co-chairman of the Bartlett 4th of July Committee.

The $38,000 fireworks display, which was choreographed to music, capped off the 10th annual Bartlett Fourth of July Fest.

“We want to keep it small and hometowny,” August said.

Unlike many other suburban festivals, Bartlett’s is coordinated not by the village but by a 50-person group of volunteers.

“They selflessly give their time every year,” said Gabrielle Imfusino, Bartlett community relations coordinator.

The group operates by breaking down into committees — “There’s even one for Port-a-Potties,” August said.

According to August, the committee isn’t interested in booking expensive bands that draw huge out-of-town crowds.

“We try to bring in all Chicago bands and keep it a small town thing,” August said.

This year the committee decided to add a Battle of the Bands for high school musicians. All bands participating had to have a tie to Bartlett to insure that the festival continues to be Bartlett-focused.

The festival also featured the annual plastic turtle race, held by Bartlett Park District, where proceeds support the Bartlett Parks Foundation’s scholarship programs, public art for the community and programs at the Bartlett Nature Center.

This year more than $4,000 was raised by selling 479 numbered floating plastic turtles.

Other attractions included a carnival, Bingo, the Radio Disney Bus and 14 food vendors,

“As long as we know we raised enough to have the festival next year, it’s a success,” said Ted Lewis. Lewis has been on the committee since it was first created in 1991 to celebrate the village’s centennial. This year he chaired the parade and licensing committees.

The village of Bartlett donates $12,000 for the fireworks display, but the majority of the funding for the event is generated by the previous year’s festival.

Lewis estimates the cost of the entire festival to be just under $100,000.

Even though the final numbers aren’t in yet, Lewis and August both think they succeeded in ensuring that next year’s celebration will take place from Wednesday, July 4 to Sunday, July 8.

However, the carnival did not see an increase in traffic from last year’s four-day festival and the food vendors saw a drop in the amount of food sold.

“In Bartlett people seem to only have a certain amount they’re going to spend,” August said.

He said that it is common for there not to be a big difference between money made on a four-day fest and a five-day one.

Lewis’s wife, Diane, who heads the vendor committee, said that despite the drop in sales all the vendors have talked to her about coming back next year.

The committee will meet at 7 p.m. Aug. 8 to assess this year’s event and begin planning for next year. They are always looking for new volunteers.