Food, fun and music highlight summer festivals in Lake County

Summertime is festival time in Lake County as communities celebrate the warm weather with food, music and fun.

There's plenty of variety from the smaller, local events to larger and more regional get-togethers like the Lake County Fair and Civil War Days.

Here are some of the largest and most anticipated festivals in Lake County.

Lake County Fair: The 87th annual fair will run July 29 through Aug. 2 at the county fairgrounds, 1060 E. Petersen Drive, Grayslake. The annual event features a host of traditional county fair attractions, ranging from live music and carnival rides to food and livestock. But you'll also find fireworks and more than 100 vendors exhibiting in the exhibition hall. Sue Markraf, spokeswoman for the fair, said a truck and tractor pull, the rodeo, and motor sports will return in force in the coming year. "We will have more animals," she said. "We're also revisiting the fair's site plan to give it a fresh new look."

Libertyville Days: Carnival rides, local bands, arts and crafts, children's entertainment, pet and food contests and more are packed into this four-day festival, June 18-21, at Church Street and Milwaukee Avenue in downtown Libertyville. One of the biggest highlights of the event, which serves as the annual fundraiser for the Libertyville Civic Center Foundation, is the parade. Anne Carlino, executive director of the Libertyville Civic Center, said possible new features will include a jalapeño pepper-eating contest and an art studio in the park.

Vernon Hills Summer Celebration: Music is always a key attraction for Summer Celebration, which runs July 16-19 at Century Park, 1001 Lakeview Parkway in Vernon Hills. Last year, the rock band Sister Hazel was the headliner. Children's entertainment, a baggo tournament and car show are also part of the lineup. What began as a neighborhood gathering in the early days of the village has grown in popularity to become one of the largest attended festivals in Lake County. "We've already locked down our musical lineup for 2015, and we think people will be amazed," communications manager Toni Pastorino said. "We're also looking forward to providing even more family fun on Sunday, July 19, including the revival of a favorite local charity race."

Civil War Days: Travel back in time to experience the Civil War-era during this annual event, July 11 and 12 at the Lakewood Forest Preserve, Route 176 and Fairfield Road, near Wauconda. The event, hosted by the Lake County Discovery Museum, is the largest re-enactment in northern Illinois. "In 2015, we will be commemorating the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War," said Katherine Hamilton-Smith of the Lake County Forest Preserve District. "The choreographed, full-scale battles on both Saturday and Sunday will specifically re-enact actual battles fought in 1865, near the end of the war." The two-day event can draw more than 600 re-enactors from seven states and more than 7,000 visitors from Illinois and surrounding areas. It features infantry, cavalry and artillery re-enactors, as well as musicians, sutlers, historical figures and civilians. Visitors of all ages are encouraged to explore the military and civilian camps to learn about life in the 1860s.

Mundelein Community Days: If you're in the mood for a car show, carnival, fireworks or a parade, take in Community Days, July 2-5 at Kracklaur Park, 100 N. Seymour Ave., Mundelein. Assistant Village Administrator Mike Flynn said this year's event will feature a new route for the July 5 parade because of road construction on Hawley Street. The parade will start at the Metra Station on Division Street, then head to Midlothian Road, to Hawley, then to Mundelein High School, Flynn said. "Other than that, we've already locked in our musical acts," he said. "Otherwise, the programs people love - like the jalapeño (pepper) eating contest and the pancake breakfast - will be back in 2015."