Music, food highlight Mane Event, Taste of Arlington Heights
What started as a block party to kick off the Arlington Million, now has stretched into a two-day bash in downtown Arlington Heights that draws thousands of people for this annual celebration of summer.
The Mane Event and Taste of Arlington Heights return this weekend with a blockbuster lineup of bands, more than 25 participating restaurants, a business meet-and-greet, and family entertainment.
“It's a not-to-be-missed summer event,” says Laurie Mitchell, who serves on the village's Special Events Commission that hosts the block party. “It brings friends and neighbors together in our beautiful downtown setting to enjoy delicious foods from local restaurants and great music.”
Friday entertainment opens at 5 p.m. and includes live music by the rock and funk band WaxWorks at 6 p.m., followed by the cover band Mike and Joe at 8:30 p.m.
Saturday's lineup opens at noon with young musicians from the School of Rock in Arlington Heights, followed by Orange Star at 3 p.m., the Dan Harvey Band at 4:30 p.m., Sun Fallen at 6:30 p.m. and Exit 147 at 8:30 p.m.
Restaurants run the gamut, from traditional burgers and pizza, to Japanese and Chinese cuisine, Mexican specialties, barbecued sandwiches, Irish and Italian dishes, and a variety of craft beers and wine.
Officially, village officials describe the party as a “bookend event,” held as an end-of-summer-celebration, while members of the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce, who organize the restaurant and business expo, give it this tag line: “Where Taste 'Buds' Meet.”
“Attendees have come to know the two-day event as a great way to enjoy the downtown, meet local business owners and enjoy food and drink from the local food scene,” says Jon Ridler, executive director of the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce.
Arlington Heights officials close off the four blocks leading to the intersection of Campbell Street and Vail Avenue, in the heart of the central business district. The streets are lined with restaurants and business vendors that offer a variety of giveaways.
“It is our biggest event of the year,” Mitchell adds, “and hugely successful due to the support of the village and collaboration with the chamber.”
Arlington Park continues to serve as a major sponsor, giving the event not only the unique spelling of its name and horse racing logo, but the added excitement of highlighting the Festival of Racing during the week that follows.
“We have been involved since the inception,” says Tony Petrillo, general manager of Arlington Park, “and we continue to be as a way to engage the community in Arlington Heights' world renown event.”
The Mane Event originally debuted in 2000, and fell on the same weekend as the Arlington Million. However, it soon became clear the block party conflicted with some of the racing events and it moved to the weekend before the big race.
The business expo was added in 2002, and the block party itself grew into a two-day event starting in 2010, and it hasn't looked back. Officials say both nights draw thousands of people for one last summer blast before the countdown to school begins.