Mane Event, Taste of Arlington kick off August fun
As summer hits the home stretch, Arlington Heights is celebrating with its two big annual downtown street parties this weekend.
The Mane Event on Friday, Aug. 4, and Taste of Arlington Heights on Saturday, Aug. 5, mark the unofficial kickoff to Million Week, which culminates in this year's 35th running of the Arlington Million Saturday, Aug. 12, at Arlington International Racecourse.
Both street fests are centered around Vail Avenue and Campbell Street in the downtown.
With perfect weather last year, the Friday night Mane Event attracted almost 9,000 attendees, and the all-day Taste on Saturday brought in 12,000, according to Jon Ridler, executive director of the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce, which helps run the events with the village's Special Events Commission.
People from Arlington Heights and elsewhere come to enjoy the food, live music, business expo and children's entertainment, Ridler said.
“We see a lot of people from all over,” he said. “In the evening, as the main bands start getting ready to play, you see great groups of people coming off the Metra line in downtown, coming to enjoy the festival and the entertainment.”
Some two dozen restaurants, including all downtown restaurants and many from throughout town, will serve food both days. New this year is Via Arenella and Mr. D's, the sports bar near the racetrack.
The Mane Event — named for a horse's mane — is 5 to 11 p.m. Friday. It features a business expo until 8 p.m. that sold out a month ago with 71 businesses. Children's entertainment is also until 8 p.m.
Musical entertainment kicks off with cover band The Student Body at 6 p.m., followed by Libido Funk Circus at 8:30 p.m.
On Saturday, the Taste runs from noon to 11 p.m. featuring all of the same restaurants and 20 of the business exhibitors from Friday night that are also sponsors. The remaining tents will be converted to seating areas, Ridler said.
Student performers from the School of Rock kick off the entertainment lineup at noon, followed by the finals of Suburban Chicago's Got Talent at 2 p.m. The Top 10 will perform, and a winner will be announced afterward.
Music groups perform starting at 4:30 p.m. with Second Time Around, followed by Exit 147 at 6:30 p.m. and ARRA at 8:30 p.m.