Buffalo Grove Days is adding car show

Buffalo Grove Days, the village's big, annual Labor Day weekend festival, will include a new event this year - a classic car, truck and motorcycle show (pre-1988) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 4.

The five-day festival also will include the usual list of crowd favorites, including major festival bands, the carnival, BBQ Challenge, duck race, and arts and crafts fair.

Again this year, it will lack the fireworks, which had to be abandoned a year ago for safety reasons when the festival moved to Mike Rylko Community Park, 951 McHenry Road, on the grounds of the Buffalo Grove Farmers Market and next to the Spray 'N' Play park.

Here's a quick overview of some of what's happening at the festival, which opens Thursday, Aug. 31, and runs through Monday, Sept. 4:

• Mainstage entertainers include Hi Infidelity (sounds of Journey and Boston), ARRA with classic rock covers, Beatles tribute band American English, Tanglewood, The Shades and Classical Blast.

• The Beer Tent will feature the sounds of Andrew Blendermann, One Night Band, School of Rock Arlington Heights, Industrial Drive, The Gingers and the Varieties Music Team.

• You can take a spin on the Ferris wheel, play games and win prizes at the carnival. Unlimited ride wristbands are available for $25 for select days and times. Save $5 on wristbands by ordering them online by Aug. 31 (service charge $2.50 per order). Ride tickets will be sold on-site for $1.25 (or 22 tickets for $25 or 55 for $60). You can get 30 tickets for $30 at the village hall, 50 Raupp Blvd., during business hours through August.

• For family entertainment, gather on the lawn in front of the main stage from 2:30-3 p.m. Saturday for a free "Beauty and the Beast" storytime stage show. And keep an eye out for queens, princes and princesses, Wonder Woman, Jasmine and other celebrities on the festival grounds Saturday, Sunday and Monday afternoons.

• The BBQ Challenge sponsored by Dorfler's Meat Market is from 1-5 p.m. Saturday (judging at 2:30 p.m.). Entry forms are at bgdays.com.

• The Rotary Club Duck Race is at 5 p.m. Sunday. More than $3,000 in cash prizes are given out in one of the group's largest fundraisers. The racecourse has been reconfigured to provide a more exciting experience. One Lucky Duck is $5, a Quack Pack (six ducks) is $25 and a Flock of Ducks is $100. For information, visit www.bgrotary.org or email duckrace@BGRotary.org.

• The food tent offers a chance to sample local cuisine from more than a dozen restaurants and community groups.

• The annual Buffalo Grove Days Parade is at 11 a.m. Sunday, going east on Bernard Drive from Indian Hill Drive to Raupp Boulevard, turning north to St. Mary's Parkway. The grand marshal is Maureen "Mo" Welborn.

• The craft fair and the business fair are Saturday and Sunday.

• Thursday is games night. You can participate in the bags tournament at 7 p.m., or play bingo from 6:30-10:30 p.m.

• Microbrewer Prairie Krafts Brewing Company of Buffalo Grove is the exclusive beer provider in the beer tent.

• The annual pre-festival Charity Softball Game is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Mike Rylko Park softball fields.

• Saturday and Sunday afternoon, a variety of walk around entertainers will be performing, including magicians, mimes, a clown, stilt walkers and balloon artists.

• Food & Fun for Persons with Disabilities Day is from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday. Preregistration is required by emailing foodandfun@vbg.org. Attendance is limited to the person with a disability and up to four family members or a caregiver; additional people are $10. The day includes free carnival rides from 10:30 a.m. to noon, lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by entertainment, including a magic show.

Other events related to Buffalo Grove Days include a blood drive from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Alcott Center; the Buffalo Grove Park District Disc Golf Tournament, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Willow Stream Park and Twin Creeks Park; the park district Dog Show at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Willow Stream Park South Dan Schimmel Pavilion; and the Buffalo Grove Stampede 5K/10K Race at 7:30 a.m. Sunday. Race information is at bgparks.org. The Stampede begins and ends at the Buffalo Grove Park District Fitness Center, 601 W. Deerfield Parkway. Streets will be closed during the race, including parts of Deerfield Parkway, McHenry Road, Arlington Heights Road, Checker Drive, Old Checker Road, Schaeffer Road, Farrington Drive, Shady Grove Lane, Silver Rock Lane and Springside Lane.

Buffalo Grove Days festival hours are 5 to 11 p.m. Thursday, 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday, noon to midnight Sunday and 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday.

There are several off-site parking locations with bus shuttle service. Details on that, along with a schedule for all events and performance times for all entertainers, are at bgdays.com.

Buffalo Grove Days

Main Stage acts

FRIDAY

7:15 p.m. Tanglewood

9 p.m. Hi Infidelity

SATURDAY

7:30 p.m. The Shades

9 p.m. ARRA

SUNDAY

7:15 p.m. Classical Blast

9 p.m. American English

Beer Tent acts

FRIDAY

6:30 p.m. Piano Bar with Andrew Blendermann

10:30 p.m. One Night Band

SATURDAY

2 p.m. School of Rock, Arlington Heights

3:45 p.m. Robbie Gold

5:30 p.m. Industrial Drive

10:30 p.m. The Gingers

SUNDAY

2:30 p.m. Varieties Music Team