Glendale Heights Fest goes country for a good cause

For Independence Day revelers who didn't get enough percussive, explosive, eye-popping, light-up-the-sky grandeur over the Fourth of July weekend, one village has just the thing.

Glendale Heights Fest opens Wednesday, July 8, with a fireworks display and closes out the weekend Sunday with even more celebratory skyrockets.

In between the aerial pyrotechnics, the fest will feature music, food, carnival rides and games. And on Friday, it's the return of Country Night.

For the third year, the theme will be carried out with country music and line dancing, along with an ersatz rodeo ride.

"We bring out a mechanical bull. It's fun. People love it," said David Genty, Glendale Heights public affairs coordinator. "It's always a big hit."

Riders will not only show off their ability to resist the bull's best efforts to eject them from the saddle, they'll be helping their neighbors.

Proceeds from the mechanical bull ride sales will benefit the Family in Faith Christian Church's Food Pantry.

The church, located on Bloomingdale Road adjacent the fest grounds in Camera Park, 101 E. Fullerton Ave., has been hosting a monthly mobile food pantry visit from the Northern Illinois Food Bank for the past 10 years, the Rev. Steve Kass said.

The church now is raising money to build a permanent food pantry building on the church grounds.

"We've raised more than $100,000 toward the building," Kass said. "We're hoping to break ground within the next month or two months. We don't want to break ground until we have the resources we need."

Kass said the estimated cost is $130,000 to $150,000, a figure the mechanical bull proceeds, along with several other community fundraising efforts, will help the church reach.

"It's a natural fit with western night," Kass said of the bull-riding.

A line-dancing demonstration featuring about a dozen dancers from the Glendale Heights Center for Senior Citizens is set for 6 p.m. Friday.

A group of seniors will perform a routine, most likely choreographed to "Achy Breaky Heart," said Debbie McKenzie, the village's senior services manager, "in hopes that people will join them from the crowd."

New this year, said Genty, is the availability of carnival ride wristbands online. Genty said wristbands can be purchased at www.glendaleheights.org/gh_fest. Wristbands give the wearer access to unlimited rides during certain hours of the festival.

There is no fee for admission to Glendale Heights Fest.

Genty said social media fans are encouraged to follow the action on Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram.

Genty said there will be at least 14 food vendors at the fest, along with a beer garden.

Fireworks shows are set to begin at dusk on Wednesday and Sunday, he said.

"We have one of the best fireworks shows in the area," Genty said.