Taste of Lombard opens today for 5-day run
The popular Taste of Lombard opens at noon today for five days of food, fun and fireworks.
The festival returns to Madison Meadow Park with one of the suburbs' biggest carnivals, a full lineup of main stage and family entertainment and food vendors selling everything from corn on the cob to alligator on a stick.
No big changes this year, just a few tweaks. "We're bringing back a lot of the stuff we experimented with last year that everybody loved," said Mike Hughes, chairman of the Jaycees-sponsored fest. The main beer area will once again be turned to face the stage, and the fireworks music will be simulcast in stereo on 101.5 FM - an upgrade from last year's AM broadcast.
New this year is a St. Baldrick's fundraiser from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, July 3, where you can your head shaved to beat the heat - and fight cancer.
Here's what you need to know:
Parade: The annual Fourth of July parade steps off at 11:30 a.m. from village hall, 255 E. Wilson, then travels east on Wilson to Grace Street, north on Grace Street to Madison and east on Madison to the Taste of Lombard.
Fireworks: The show starts about 9:30 p.m., and spectators are encouraged to bring their battery-operated boom boxes. Patriotic tunes from country to rock 'n' roll will be simulcast on 101.5 FM.
Festival hours: 5 to 10 p.m. today, 5 to 11 p.m. July 2, noon to 11 p.m. July 3, noon to 11 p.m. July 4 and noon to 6 p.m. July 5.
Bargains: $20 wristbands for unlimited carnival rides are available from 5 p.m. to close today and July 2; noon to 5 p.m. July 3 and July 4; and noon to 6 p.m. July 5. Visit www.tasteoflombard.com for details on bingo specials for retired and active members of the armed forces and seniors.
Food: Lombard restaurants Miller's Ale House (burgers and fries) and Roundheads Pizza join the vendors this year.
Drink: It's OK to walk around with a beer in many parts of the festival, although not on the carnival grounds or in the fireworks viewing area.
Parking: The village is providing free shuttle bus transportation to Madison Meadow Park from Madison School, Pleasant Lane School and Glenbard East High School, which will be served by a handicapped-accessible bus. Shuttle buses will operate from 5 to 11 p.m. today, 5 p.m. to midnight July 2, noon to midnight July 3, noon to midnight July 4 and noon to 7 p.m. July 5. Extra buses will be provided on July 4 to accommodate the large crowd expected for Taste of Lombard and the fireworks.