Park Palooza celebrates family fun

The Chicago concert extravaganza known as Lollapalooza 2018 may be more than 11 months away, but there's no need to wait that long for summer fun in the park with Elmhurst's Park Palooza coming up Saturday, Aug. 19.

The free Elmhurst Park District event will bring bands, games, kids' activities and food to Berens Park, a sprawling green oasis that features trees, ball fields, batting cages and a miniature golf course.

"It's a newer event," said Pat O'Neill, community events and development manager with the park district. "It started in 2015."

Each of the past two years, Park Palooza attracted between 1,500 and 2,500 people, she said.

"It's really a fun evening. It's kind of just our end-of-summer celebration. It's kind of a way to thank the community," she said.

Classic rock band Second Time Around will bring back the hits from as far back as the '70s when it takes the stage at 5:30 p.m. The band will be followed at 8 p.m. by No Alternative, a Lombard-based cover band.

O'Neill said eight food trucks will be at the festival, along with a beer and wine garden.

For kids, face painters will be ready to create memorable but temporary art. And for youngsters interested in expressing their artistic side, a sand art project will be available.

"Children get to pick a project and we'll have an assortment of necklaces and key chains, sunshines, hearts and teddy bears, that sort of thing. Then there are volunteers and staff who will put out bottles of different colors of sand and the kids get to design their own project and they walk away wearing their necklace," said Susan Smentek, park district cultural arts program manager. "It's very colorful. It's a lot of fun."

The park district also will present an obstacle course, courtesy of the staff at Courts Plus, a community fitness and recreation facility operated by the park district, O'Neill said.

O'Neill said proceeds from Park Palooza will go to the People for Elmhurst Parks Foundation for the recreation assistance fund, which helps fund recreation opportunities for those in financial need.

Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Leashed dogs are also welcome, O'Neill said.