‘Jammin on Main’ Street Dance comes to Wauconda Sept. 3

Featuring music, food and fun, Wauconda’s 12th Annual “Jammin’ on Main” Street Dance is set for Saturday, Sept. 3.

Sponsored by the Wauconda Area Chamber of Commerce and hosted by the village of Wauconda, the popular event serves as a fundraiser for the Wauconda/Island Lake Food Pantry. The event runs from 6 to 11 p.m.

An estimated crowd of 4,000 will attend the free event featuring live music by “8 Miles South,” a Lake County area band that features a tasty gumbo of Southern-flavored rock.

Downtown Main Street will be closed between Route 176 and Slocum Lake Road from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. on the day of the event.

Local vendors, including Bliss Wine & Gifts, Branden Enterprises, Brothers BBQ, Bulldogs Restaurant, Jimmy’s Bag O’ Donuts, JJ Twig’s Pizza, Luigi’s Pizzeria, Three Amigas, and Village Inn of Wauconda will line Main Street providing food and drinks.

Numerous nonprofit organizations will also be present including the Wauconda Lions Club, which will raffle off the drawing for a Hawaiian Dream Vacation. Raffle tickets for the vacation will also be sold at the event

A designated teen area will be set up at Beach Park, where the younger crowd can tune in to the live music of local teen bands. The teen area, sponsored by Wauconda/Island Lake Youth NFP, Inc., will be open until 10 p.m.

Last year’s crowd-pleaser will be back again — the 33-foot high, inflatable “Titanic Adventure Slide” where thrill seekers can experience a virtual free fall. The “Pirate’s Moonwalk” will provide entertainment for younger attendees. A nominal fee is required for these rides.

Chamber members Jim Schwanz and Paul Washburn from Acres Group organized a monthlong food drive, with about 20 area businesses serving as collection points. Their donations will be picked up with an antique farm tractor provided by Acres Group on Friday, Sept. 2. A list of food drop locations can be found at www.waucondaareachamber.org.

To involve the entire community in the food drive, all residents are encouraged to bring a bag of groceries or school supplies to the Wauconda Activity Center the night of the dance. Food pantry volunteers, with the help of the 2011 Wauconda area queens, will also conduct a 50/50 cash raffle from 6 to 9 p.m., with the winner announced onstage later in the evening.

Event sponsors to date include Alliant Advisors, CPA’s, Allstate Insurance-Jim Radtke, Aunty Rita’s Pet Sitting Service, Boehmer Chevrolet, Daily Herald, Farmer’s Insurance & Financial Services, Joseph Lincoln, DDS, Jump Zone, Ryan and Company Realtors, Top Choice Rentals — Kenosha, Village of Wauconda, Wauconda Township, Walgreens — Wauconda and Walgreens — Island Lake

If you would like to donate cash, nonperishable food items or school supplies for the food pantry drive, contact the Chamber office at (847) 526-5580.