Des Plaines fest setting up TVs for Saturday Hawks game
Des Plaines officials have been trying to revive their struggling summer downtown festival for years, and hoped by bringing in local food vendors and organizations to man information booths this year, more people would attend.
But organizers of the Taste of Des Plaines scheduled for this weekend also realized that much of the community's attention will be focused on the Blackhawks Stanley Cup Final Game 5 Saturday night.
That's why officials announced Wednesday they will be setting up a TV viewing area at the fest so those who attend won't have to miss a second of the game, scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday.
Two 60-inch TVs and speakers will be set up inside a 20-by-40-foot tent on the east side of the fest grounds near Pearson and Ellinwood streets. There will be some seating, but also room to stand.
The installation of the tent will result in a slightly smaller car show, still scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, according to Bryan Cory, event manager with Ravenswood Event Services, who the city is contracting with to run the two-day festival that begins Friday night.
It isn't the first time Ravenswood has set up TVs so festival attendees can view sporting events. They had TVs at an Oktoberfest at Navy Pier in the 1990s so people could watch Sunday afternoon Bears games, Cory said.
The music acts scheduled to perform Saturday night on the main stage are still on, Cory said. Mallrats takes the stage at 7 p.m. and 97Nine at 9 p.m. There will also be a community music stage, on the west side of the fest. For a complete schedule of performers, visit tasteofdesplaines.com. Food vendors will be on either side of the main stage, along with two beer and wine tents.
Some 20 local organizations, including the Des Plaines Arts Council, Des Plaines Garden Club and Operation North Pole, will have information booths.
Beth Pauze, co-chair of the city's Special Events Commission, is confident the fest will be successful this year if it doesn't rain. "We are going to do extremely well," she said.
The fest runs from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday.