Mayor Kovarik named Gurnee Days Honoree

Longtime Mayor Kristina Kovarik will be the Gurnee Days Honoree and Grand Marshal of the festival's parade this year.

Each year, Gurnee Days organizers choose an individual or couple from the community to recognize for meaningful contributions that make the area a better place to live and work.

Kovarik has served Gurnee as mayor since 2005 and was a village trustee for the six years before that.

"I enjoy being mayor tremendously. It was nice to get that recognition from the community," Kovarik said.

She plans on using the recognition to raise awareness and funding for Housing First, an organization that strives to solve the plight of the chronically homeless.

"The best thanks possible will be for our community to embrace the cause on my behalf," Kovarik said in a statement released Wednesday.

The annual Gurnee Days celebration will take place Aug. 10-13. The theme this year is "Let's Play Ball." The parade will kick off at noon Aug. 13.

Kovarik said she is not sure if being grand marshal will mean having to change up her normal parade experience. She usually walks the parade route with the village board so she can shake hands and meet people. The grand marshal typically rides in a car.

"I'll be wearing two hats," she said.

As a traditional kick off to the festival, a testimonial dinner honoring Kovarik will take place Aug. 10.

For more information on Gurnee Days, visit gurneedays.com.