Summer Sunset Festival seeks to beat world record

Watch the sun fall below the horizon this weekend in style, at the Summer Sunset Festival in Lake in the Hills.

The three-day festival begins Friday and ends Sunday, with a plethora of events sure to keep you busy.

Organizers estimate between 30,000 and 40,000 people will attend this weekend's festival.

New this year, you'll get to watch the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Jaycees as the group attempts to secure a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for creating the largest root beer float.

Right now, Coca-Cola holds the record for the largest soda float, said Sara Wilcox, a spokeswoman for the Guinness Book of World Records.

That soda float, made in 2007 at the World of Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta, was 3,000 gallons, she said.

On Sunday, you'll see the Jaycees at the festival, holding court by a pool filled with root beer and ice cream.

But don't expect them to drink anything out of that pool.

Jaycees members will also be selling much smaller root beer floats both for charity and to drum up excitement for the big float.

In addition to the race to create the largest root beer float in the world, there's a real race as well.

Friday's Sunset 5K run/ two-mile walk features "a flat, fast course" through Sunset Park and the village, said Denise Wasserman, the festival's vice chairwoman.

You can still register for the race online at www.lith.org until Friday at 5 p.m.

As the name suggests, the event takes place at sunset.

Other activities meant to test athletic ability include a skateboarding competition, a Baggo tournament with regulation-sized boards, a horseshoes tournament, the melon-propellin' contest in which competitors build catapults that launch melons into the sky.

This year, Wasserman said, only three teams have signed up for this year's melon-propellin' contest.

"But they're still fun to watch," she said, adding that they'll all just take more turns.

If you've got a unique skill you'd still like to show off, your best bet is to enter Sunday's "Got Talent" competition, which is open to all ages.

Fireworks, a carnival, a battle of the bands competition, a car show and live music round out the weekend.

The village uses sponsorship dollars and money from the previous Summer Sunset Festival's carnival portion to help cover the festival the following year.

"Ultimately our goal every year is to make it be a self-supporting event and we've been very lucky so far," Wasserman said. "And a lot of that has to do with the weather."

<p class="factboxheadblack">Lake in the Hills Summer Sunset Festival</p>

<p class="News"><b>When:</b> Friday, Sept. 3 through Sunday, Sept. 5</p>

<p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Sunset Park, at Miller and Albrecht roads in Lake in the Hills</p>

<p class="News"><b>Admission:</b> Free, but you'll have to pay for food and beverages</p>

<p class="News"><b>Details:</b> <a href="http://www.summersunsetfest.com" target="new">www.summersunsetfest.com</a>, which lists a complete schedule of events.</p>