'Sounds of Summer' celebrates diversity
The ninth annual Sounds of Summer entertainment series will celebrate Lake County's ethnic diversity with music, food and dancing.
Seven live events are on the schedule, with the first set for this weekend. All will be staged at the Lake County Forest Preserve District's Greenbelt Cultural Center, which is on Green Bay Road south of Belvidere Road near North Chicago.
Weather permitting, the events will be held in the outdoor amphitheater at the center, which opened in 2000. It's the perfect location for culturally diverse events, forest district officials said.
"The whole purpose of the cultural center is to bring out art in nature," district spokeswoman Sue Hawkins said. "It is meant to host things that everyone in the entire county can participate in and learn from."
About 5,500 people attended last year's Sounds of Summer programs, district officials said. Attendance is expected to be greater this year because more events are planned.
The series begins Sunday with Kids FunFest. Face painting, clown performances, wagon rides, games and more activities are scheduled for the event, which will run from 2 to 5 p.m.
It is especially designed for kids 4 to 12, but anyone is welcome.
The series takes a bluesy turn on Father's Day with a performance by 8-year-old guitarist Tallan "T-Man" Latz and his band. The show is set for 5 to 8 p.m. June 15. Dads who attend will receive special gifts.
A gospel show is set for July 13. Local choirs, soloists, quartets and praise dancers will perform from 3 to 7 p.m.
An outdoor stepping dance party is set for July 20. Free dance lessons - typically for teens and older participants - will be given from 3 to 4 p.m., and performances are 4 to 8 p.m.
A DJ and a show band called CJ & Company will play music during that program.
A reggae concert is scheduled for Aug. 3 to mark Jamaica's Independence Day, which falls on Aug. 6. A DJ will play music from 4 to 6 p.m., and live music will follow until 8 p.m.
Authentic Jamaican food and merchandise will be available for purchase.
A celebration with an even broader global view is set for Aug. 31. Dubbed "A Taste of Lake County Culture," it will feature art, dance, music and food from around the world.
Local gospel choirs and dancers from India, Mexico and the Philippines are among the scheduled performers for the event, set for 3 to 8 p.m.
Finally, a Mexican Independence Day celebration is set for 1 to 7 p.m. Sept. 14. Dancing, music and children's activities are planned. Food will be available for purchase, too.
The Sounds of Summer series also will include four outdoor movie screenings. They're scheduled for June 13, July 11, Aug. 8 and Sept. 12, each at 7 p.m.
Moviegoers should bring chairs or blankets for their comfort. Call the cultural center for the exact movie schedule.
All of the events are free to attend and open to people of all ages. For information, visit www.lcfpd.org or call (847) 968-3477.