New start for Lisle's Eyes to the Skies
One of the best entertainment values for your Fourth of July celebration this year may be the Eyes to the Skies festival in Lisle.
The tried-and-true event has undergone some modifications that has organizers enthused and residents eager for details. It's scheduled to begin July 1 and then follow with a full three-day festival and then a closing carnival in Community Park near Route 53 and Short Street.
"The Village of Lisle has name recognition across the country from the Eyes to the Skies festival," Mayor Joseph Broda said. "Over the years, it has brought tremendous recognition to our community, and everybody across the area has benefited from the exposure."
The 29th annual festival was restructured under a new 501c3 organization to benefit local charities.
It's no secret the old Eyes committee filed for bankruptcy since last year's event. A new group of volunteers representing all aspects of the community put in place all the financial and organizational checks and balances to keep the event alive.
"We began pulling this together as a volunteer-based committee and went around to all the organizations in Lisle to give everybody a voice," said Rob Salerno, festival chairman and owner of Evviva Bar and Eatery in Lisle. "We wanted to bring the strength of the community together to reorganize from the ground up."
"We really wanted to be as transparent as possible with everything out there for review and comment," said Dave VanKampen, board committee chairman. "We have the village, schools, park district and community groups on the committee so all are part of the solution and creativity to keep this going."
For the village's part, it will cover the same costs as in past years.
"In the past, Lisle has always covered the fireworks, police protection and public works for the festival as our donation and the same will happen this year prorated for three days instead of four," Broda said.
"In addition, this year the village has extended credit for startup costs for the festival in the amount of $90,000, which we will receive back from festival revenues before any service groups receive money," he said.
Since entertainment costs can be unyielding with big-name performers, the committee held the line on those expenses using strong regional and local acts performing on its two stages.
"We have a phenomenal lineup with a localization that people look for in today's economy," Salerno said. "This has allowed us to drop our admission charge to $3."
Within the new $3 price for everyone older than 5, the festival will include a carnival, magic show, craft fair, art tent, petting zoo, food court, Radio Disney, lumberjack show, martial art demonstrations, musical entertainment, balloon launches and fireworks.
Van Kampen said a dozen hot-air balloons, at last count, will be at the festival including Serena's Song, which offers free tethered rides for individuals with disabilities. With a focus on patron convenience, the main stage will return to the distinctive island stage location that offers plenty of hillside stadium seating.
Lisle residents with proof of residency are admitted free before 5 p.m. July 4. Active military and veterans, with proof, are admitted free all day.
The five days of fun begins with an early carnival opening on July 1 and a $20 all-you-can-ride ticket from 5 to 11 p.m.
The festival officially opens at 3 p.m. July 2 with two lumberjack shows at 4 and 6 p.m. and a balloon launch at 6:30 p.m., weather permitting.
On the Evviva! Cabaret stage, near the east end of the festival grounds, Rock Band Karaoke, Breakfast Club and Mike & Joe will perform. Main stage acts include the drumming sensation Hannah Ford band, generation pleaser Dot Dot Dot and Beatles tribute band American English.
Fireworks take place at 9:45 p.m. all three days of the festival.
On July 3, the morning balloon launch is at 5:30 a.m. with no cost to attend. The festival hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The children's area will feature face painting, picnic games and crafts until 6 p.m. at no additional cost. There is a sweet and sassy girl makeover booth and Brookfield Zoo interactive booth nearby.
The Radio Disney Party Patrol will provide interactive musical entertainment between 12:30 and 2 p.m. Lumberjack shows are at 2, 4 and 6 p.m. A second balloon launch is at 6:30 p.m. if the weather permits. The balloons return in their chase crew vehicles for the grounded balloon glow that lights the sky at 9:45 p.m.
Friday's entertainment at the cabaret stage includes Trash Martini, FNR, Rock Candy and Maggie Speaks. On the main stage is cover band Dickey Pimpkins, a blend of pop, rock and punk with The Fold and popular '80s music with Sixteen Candles.
July 4 begins with the early 5:30 a.m. balloon launch. If the weather cooperates, seeing a hot-air balloon rise and gently float off into the horizon is awesome; seeing a dozen do so is spectacular. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, a cup of coffee, a camera and the Daily Herald to settle in to wait for perfect flight conditions with a gentle wind from the northeast, no rain and no chance of lightning, so the balloons can launch.
Most of Saturday's schedule repeats Friday's lineup, with the addition of the popular candy-tossing 3 p.m. Independence Parade, and the sensational 9: 45 p.m. fireworks synchronized to music.
The cabaret stage features Cat Fight, Hey Jimmy and Too White Crew bands. On the main stage are local favorite Brilliance in a Bun, high energy Audio Fracture, masterful rockers AVM and the headliner Chicago Gold Revue covering 25 years with the Cryan Shames.
On Sunday, July 5, only the carnival opens from noon to 7 p.m.
"This year with Lisle's downtown completed, I am exceptionally proud that the Eyes to the Skies festival is alive and well under the new committee," Broda said.
The new organization has a downtown Lisle office and detailed Web site at eyestotheskies.org complete with photos, directions, menu items, parking information, list of crafters, Serena Song's details and a complete children's area schedule.
"We want (the festival) to continue to be a family and local Chicagoland festival," Van Kampen said. "The organization is open for people in the community to join. All the revenue will go back into the service organizations that support the community whether it is for scholarships or for services the Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary fund."
Eyes to the Skies
Lisle festival opens with carnival from 5 to 11 p.m. July 1 and closes with carnival from noon to 7 p.m. July 5 at Community Park near Route 53 and Short Street. In between is three-day fest that runs 3-11 p.m. July 2 and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 3 and 4. Festival cost: $3. Proceeds benefit area civic groups. Info: www.eyestotheskies.org.
JULY 1
5-11 p.m. Carnival open
JULY 2
3-11 p.m. Festival open
3-11 p.m. Wilsons Family Show Carnival
3-11 p.m. Food Court
4 p.m. Hannah Ford
4 and 6 p.m. All American Lumberjack Show
5 p.m. Rock Band Karaoke
6 p.m. Dot Dot Dot
6:30 p.m. Balloon launch
7 p.m. Breakfast Club
8 p.m. American English
9 p.m. Mike & Joe
9:45 p.m. Fireworks.
JULY 3
11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Festival open
5:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Balloon launches
11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wilsons Family Show Carnival
11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Craft fair
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Picnic games, face painting, crafts, coloring
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Art room tent (crafts with small fee)
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Brookfield Zoo educational/ interactive booth
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sweet & Sassy girl makeover (free)
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Miller Petting Zoo
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. United Martial Arts School info booth
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Premier Gymnastics Academy booth
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Food Court
Noon All American Lumberjack Show Noon- 3 p.m. Gene Diaz, professional face painter
12:30-2 p.m. Radio Disney Party Patrol interactive music
1:30 p.m. Premier Gymnastics Academy demo/instruction All American 2 p.m. Lumberjack Show
3 p.m. Trash Martini
2:30 p.m. Magic by Randy
3:30 p.m. United Martial Arts and Qi Gong demo
4 p.m. Dickie Pimpkins
4 p.m. All American Lumberjack Show
5 p.m. FNR
6 p.m. All American Lumberjack Show
6:30 p.m. Balloon launch
7 p.m. Rock Candy
8 p.m. Sixteen Candles
8:15 p.m. Balloon Glow
9 p.m. Maggie Speaks
9:45 p.m. Fireworks
JULY 4
11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Festival open
5:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Balloon launches
11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wilsons Family Show Carnival
11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Craft fair
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Picnic games, face painting, crafts, coloring
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Art room tent (crafts with small fee)
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Brookfield Zoo educational/ interactive booth
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sweet & Sassy girl makeover (free)
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Miller Petting Zoo
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. United Martial Arts School info booth
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Premier Gymnastics Academy booth
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Food Court
Noon All American Lumberjack Show
1 p.m. Brilliance
1 p.m. United Martial Arts and Qi Gong demo
2 p.m. All American Lumberjack Show
3 p.m. Lisle 4th of July Parade on Short Street
3 p.m. Audio Fracture
4 p.m. All American Lumberjack Show
4:30 p.m. Magic by Randy
5 p.m. AVM
5 p.m. Cat Fight
6 p.m. All American Lumberjack Show
6:30 p.m. Balloon launch
7 p.m. Hey Jimmy
7:30 p.m. Chicago Gold Revue with Cryan Shames
8:15 p.m. Balloon Glow
9 p.m. Too White Crew
9:45 p.m. Fireworks
JULY 5
Noon-7 p.m. Carnival open