Lindenfest celebrates 25th year
It is retaining favorite attractions, such as local entertainment, food vendors, carnival and bingo, that keeps visitors coming back to Lindenfest each year.
As the community festival celebrates its 25th anniversary starting today, organizers promise favorites will be there along with one new attraction to help close the festival Sunday.
Along with local entertainment featured each day on the main stage, eight bands will compete Sunday in the festival's first battle of the bands.
The bands that will perform three songs each in the competition are: The Allies, Black Widow Stew, Crete, Fanore, Full Throttle, The Revision Plan, Stone Blue and Whiskey Sin.
Festival director Karol Threadgill said judges representing entertainment music industries will judge the performances. The winning band will serve as headliner at next year's festival.
"It is a form of entertainment that gets local musicians and the community involved in the festival," Threadgill said.
Returning to the festival this year will be popular attractions, including youth, teen and adult bingo each day, the festival pageants Thursday night, the mayors auction Saturday night and a variety of food offered by area restaurants.
This year's food vendors include Jethro's, Rosati's, Hillary's Ribs, Brat Shop, Maui Wowi, Scott's Dogs and Grande Jakes.
The festival parade begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Beck Road and Highpoint Drive. The route will continue south on Beck, turning right on Sand Lake Road, past the festival grounds and ending at Valley and Sand Lake.
Parade director Kim Henning said the parade will feature two grand marshals, honoring longtime village employees who recently retired. They are Rich Nissen, who served in public works for 30 years, and Jim Stevens, who served as village administrator and retired after 23 years.
All 85 entries, which include pageant queens from neighboring towns, businesses and local organizations, are encouraged to decorate their floats to fit the theme, "Celebrating 25 Years of Lindenfest."
Offering a special finale to the parade will be recognition of the village's daffodil queen. Henning said the title recognizes the village's status as the daffodil capital of Illinois. Pat Parpan, a longtime Lindenhurst resident and commissioner on the village environmental committee, will serve as daffodil queen.
"She is very well known in town. She is everybody's favorite. We love her," Henning said of Parpan.
Threadgill said Lindenfest remains popular because it is a family-oriented event. People can always expect activities that can please all ages.
"We love it when we see people walking into the grounds with children in strollers and older ones walking. They come here for the day," she said.