Record number day at Lakeside Festival
The 33rd annual Lakeside Festival at Lakeside Legacy Foundation in Crystal Lake started on Thursday, June 28 and took place over four fun-filled days, and concluded on Sunday, July 1.
The Lakeside Fest is the largest fundraiser for Lakeside Legacy Arts Park at the Historic Dole Mansion and it was a huge success!
Lakeside Fest once again proved to provide great financial support to Lakeside's mission and vision of creating a world class community art center committed to preserving local history, cultivating the arts and providing community programs and events. Lakeside would like to thank the numerous volunteers and community groups for their dedication to its success.
This festival would not be possible without support from neighbors, sponsors, volunteers and fest goers. Lakeside Fest draws volunteers from the Crystal Lake Jaycees and other local Jaycee Chapters, The Prairie Grove Band, Prairie Ridge High School Hockey Team, local Boy Scout troops, The Crystal Lake Rowing Club, Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals, Marian Central Catholic High School, Crystal Lake Central Varsity Basketball Team, Crystal Lake Noon Rotary, and volunteers from the community and sponsor businesses.
Kids of all ages attended and enjoyed all that Lakeside Fest had to offer. The schedule of events included carnival rides, the Taste by the Lake food court, live music and kids activities.
The live entertainment opened on Thursday, June 28 with performances by the Sinful Saints and Pirates Over 40, while New Odyssey and Hi Infidelity made Friday night's entertainment a rocking time.
Saturday, June 30 turned out to be the most successful Saturday in Festival history, bringing in a record number of people. This is thanks to perfect weather, great bands and children's activities.
The family friendly events included free crafts and face painting by Safari Childcare; appearances from the Chicago Sports Mascots including the Bears, Blackhawks and Bulls; a Kaleidoscopes Ice Cream Eating Contest; and a children's bike parade.
Saturday also included entertainment from Tru Blu bluegrass band; the Martin Lopez Academy, Four Strings Attached, violinists; Tropixplosion, a Caribbean rock group; and concluded with the popular local headliner, Libido Funk Circus.
To top off Saturday's entertainment and kid's programming, the annual baggo tournament gathered 32 teams for a fun, and sometimes competitive, game of bags. The top teams won cash prizes!
Sunday held the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce Independence Day Parade. The parade route ends at Lakeside Fest and Fest goers enjoyed an impromptu performance by the amazing Crystal Lake Strikers drum line group featuring the honorable Mayor Aaron Shepley of Crystal Lake.
Lakeside Fest concluded with fireworks and performances by Gregory B, Your Villain My Hero, and Modern Day Romeos.
Overall, it was another fantastic event that will benefit the Lakeside Legacy Arts Park mission of cultivating the arts and fostering an innovative, world-class arts education destination that enriches the quality of life in the community.
Lakeside Legacy Arts Park is celebrating 10 great years and welcomes the community to step inside and explore all the foundation has to offer.
The next event is the Aug. 3 First Friday gallery event from 5 to 7:30 p.m. where students from Creative Artistry Fine Arts School and oil painter Susan Ploughe will be exhibiting. First Friday gallery events are free and family-friendly featuring live music, art, Dole Mansion tours, cash bar and light refreshments.
Lakeside Legacy Arts Park is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
For more information on the Lakeside Legacy Foundation, membership, volunteering and upcoming events, visit www.lakesidelegacy.org or contact the foundation at (815) 455-8000.