Fests put welcome spotlight on village

Last Saturday, it was more evident than ever that it is the Right Place and the Right Time to be in Mount Prospect. Our first-ever Blues Fest, along with our well-respected Fine Arts Festival took center stage on the "Village Green" in downtown Mount Prospect.

It was a stunning turnout with an estimated 5,000 people throughout the day, strolling through the streets and admiring the talents of gifted artists and skilled musicians.

It was truly a remarkable crowd of all ages -- from families to 20-somethings to seniors -- everyone enjoying the day. We were honored to showcase these professionals as we launched our summer season of special events and concerts for you.

When we invited businesses to "become a part of Mount Prospect," the Blues Bar rallied to our invitation by underwriting all the entertainment for our first Blues fest and helping promote it to become a resounding success.

This event gave several Mount Prospect businesses a chance to showcase their goods and services, including Jimmy John's subs and Vino 100 which participated as vendors. Not to mention the increased traffic in the downtown area, which benefited everyone.

You responded to our call for donations for the food pantry and thanks to your generosity the shelves of the pantry are stocked. Special thanks to our volunteers who helped out with that effort.

We are proud of our downtown with its restaurants, shops and services. It gets better everyday. It's even more festive and alive with all the new colorful street and pedestrian banners, which will be a harbinger of annual events year after year.

We couldn't have done it without Public Works which shifted into high gear to finish Emerson Street with beautiful brick pavers and lush summer flowers. This newly renovated area will surely become a central gathering place for many future downtown events.

We look forward to many more partnerships with our residents and businesses to ensure that this Village works to give you the quality of life you have come to expect in Mount Prospect. Thanks to the thousands who made this a resounding success!

Mayor Irvana Wilks

Village of Mount Prospect