Rose Festival ready to bloom in Roselle
You know the summer party season is under way in DuPage County because it's time for the Rose Festival.
The annual celebration, sponsored by the Roselle Lions Club, opens at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 29, and continues through Sunday, June 1, at the Roselle train station parking lot at Irving Park Road and Maple Avenue. Thousands are expected to attend the four-day festival, which will feature food, carnival rides and music.
"If the weather is good, we'll be very crowded," festival Chairman Bob Jilke said. "I always pray for good weather."
Admission is free and there will be free musical entertainment each night in the Festival Miller Beer Garden.
At 8 p.m. Thursday, Raised On Radio will be the first band to perform in the tented area. Other musical acts include the country-western band Mason Rivers at 8 p.m. Friday; Living Out Loud at 3 p.m. Saturday; LAVA Rock at 6 p.m. Saturday; Howard and the White Boys at 8 p.m. Saturday; and Prairie Surfers at 4 p.m. Sunday.
If you're hungry, the food court will have four vendors offering a menu that includes Mexican treats, pizza, hot dogs, roasted corn and ice cream. The food court will be open during festival hours, which are 6 to 11 p.m. Thursday, 6 p.m. to midnight Friday, noon to midnight Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
There also will be roughly 20 carnival rides for folks of all ages.
"We try to have a good variety so everybody can enjoy themselves," Jilke said.
On Saturday and Sunday, riders will be able to purchase $20 wristbands that allow them to take in all the rides they want between noon and 5 p.m.
In addition, organizers say the fest will offer games each day, and a car show is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
"We hope the car show will attract some of the older, nostalgic group," Jilke said. "They can see some of the cars from their childhoods."
On Sunday, large crowds are expected to line the streets to watch the 55th annual Rose Parade.
The parade, which the Roselle Chamber of Commerce and Industry presents in partnership with the village, steps off at 2 p.m. from the corner of Roselle Road and Devon Avenue. It will finish about 90 minutes later minutes at Lawrence Avenue and Irving Park.
More than 75 businesses, politicians and bands are scheduled to participate, according to Gail Croson, executive director of the chamber. The procession will include floats, marching bands, fire trucks and police vehicles, and walkers passing out candy for children.
Bob Olson, the chamber's 2014 Business Person of the Year, will be the grand marshal. Olson, of A&A Paving Contractors, has been a chamber member for more than 30 years.
"He is nearing retirement age and we didn't want to let that occur without honoring him," Croson said.
While the Chicago Highlanders and the Jesse White Tumblers will entertain the crowd, Croson said the highlight of the parade will be the 2014 Rose Queen, Sharon Abraham, and her court.
"The Rose Queen (pageant) has a long tradition," she said. "It's been around as long as the parade."
For information about the festival and the parade, visit the village's website at roselle.il.us.
If you go
What: Rose Festival
When: 6 to 11 p.m. Thursday, May 29; 6 p.m. to midnight Friday, May 30; noon to midnight Saturday, May 31; and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, June 1
Where: Roselle train station parking lot, Irving Park Road at Maple Avenue
Cost: Free admission
Info: roselle.il.us