Celebrate Highwood Announces Stellar Line-Up Of 2019 Series Of Festivals And Events

Celebrate Highwood is has announced their 2019 series of family-friendly festivals and events which includes: Jazzed Up Dining & Classical Cocktails, the weekly Wednesday Evening Gourmet Market, North Shore Pride Fest, Inferno Fest, North Shore Taco Fest & Highwood Days, Bloody Mary Fest, Garlic Fest, Nashwood, Elf Invasion Pub Crawl and The Great Highwood Pumpkin Fest. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Celebrate Highwood's acclaimed Bloody Mary and Great Highwood Pumpkin Festivals, and the third season as an official 501(c)(3) with the mission of raising funds for worthy nonprofit organizations through its festivals and events. Although all festivals are free to the public, a portion of proceeds benefit various charities.

Celebrate Highwood's 2019 events:

• Third Annual Jazzed Up Dining & Classical Cocktails: 6:30 p.m. Feb. 23. Benefitting Midwest Young Artists Conservatory, Fort Sheridan. In addition to live jazz, classical and big band musical performances by Midwest Young Artists Conservatory students throughout the evening, guests will enjoy appetizers, dinner and dessert from local North Shore restaurants, as well as an open bar and a silent auction.

• 7th Annual North Shore Pride Fest: Noon to bar close June 1. Benefitting SPECTRUM. This family friendly/all-ages day-long event kicks off Pride Month, with a Pride Family Picnic in the Park from noon to 3 p.m. in Everts Park, 130 Highwood Ave., followed by a Taste the Rainbow Pub Crawl throughout Downtown Highwood restaurants and bars from 5 p.m. to bar close.

• 11th Season of Highwood's Wednesday Evening Gourmet Market, 4:30-9:30 p.m. June 5 to Aug. 28, Everts Park. In its 11th season, this family and pet friendly event features live music, dancing under the stars, freshly prepared delicacies from local restaurants and food trucks, and creative cocktails. Attendees can shop for locally made artisan breads, sauces, cheeses, pastas and sweets in addition to handmade jewelry, fashion and art.

• Inferno Fest: 4:30-9:30 p.m. June 26, Everts Park. Daring food enthusiasts have lots of hot and spicy foods to try and even partake in the spiciest inferno food competition.

• Fourth Annual North Shore Taco Fest & Highwood Days: July 18-21, Highwood Metra Station Parking Lot. North Shore Taco Fest brings together the region's best taco-centric restaurants, caterers and food trucks to offer a wide range of taco creations, along with full beer and margarita garden. Complete with carnival rides, live music and lots of other food from local vendors.

• Third Annual North Shore Taco Run 5K: 9 a.m. July 20. Benefitting Highland Park-Highwood Legal Aid Clinic.

• 10th Annual Bloody Mary Fest: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 28, Everts Park. Dozens of vendors from near and far vie for the titles of "Best Bloody Mary," and the "People's Choice." In 2018, this event attracted a crowd of 10,000 people from all over Chicagoland.

• 9th Annual Garlic Fest: 4:30-9:30 p.m. Aug. 14, Everts Park. Attendees come to sample a variety of sweet and savory garlic creations from out-of- the-ordinary garlic ice cream, candy, cupcakes and cocktails, to the more usual pastas, sauces, breads, and butters. Features a Taste of Garlic Competition for the best Savory and Sweet creations, as well as the ever popular Garlic Royalty Competition.

• Third Annual Nashwood: Aug. 30 to Sept. 1, downtown business district. Country, blues, classic and southern rock sounds will radiate from over 20 bars and restaurants over three days. Some 100 musical performances will be showcased in both indoor and outdoor venues.

• The 10th Annual Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival: Oct. 11-13. Featuring nightly jack-o-lantern lightings as Highwood vies for the world record for the most carved pumpkins in one place. This celebration features pumpkin-filled walls throughout the festival grounds, ceremonial wall lightings, all-you-can carve pumpkins, trick-or-treating, costume contests, pony rides, a petting zoo, carnival rides, kids crafts, four stages with live music, food and beverage vendors and more. The Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival has partnered with Make-A-Wish Illinois with the goal of raising enough funds to grant wishes to children with critical illnesses in Illinois.

• Superhero 5K Pumpkin Run/Walk: 9 a.m. Oct. 12. All participants are encouraged to come dressed in their favorite super hero costume in solidarity to help raise money and awareness for Make-A- Wish Illinois children.

• Second Annual Elf Invasion Pub Crawl: 7 p.m. to bar close Dec. 7. The public is invited to channel their inner elf, dress the part and join the pack of elves as they visit the City of Highwood's most popular establishments to enjoy live music, food and drink specials and raffle prizes.

"Our family friendly festivals and events bring communities together to celebrate what's great about the North Shore," said Eric Falberg, president of Celebrate Highwood and Highwood alderman.

The inaugural North Shore Taco Fest event in July 2016 was the first initiative that provided the seed money necessary to establish working capital for the formation of a 501(c)(3). The Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival, which has always given back to the community, has evolved into an internationally recognized event raising thousands of dollars for charities to date, and successfully raised $140,000 for Make-A-Wish Illinois since 2016.

For more information on all of Celebrate Highwood festivals and events visit www.CelebrateHighwood.org or like Celebrate Highwood on Facebook, www.facebook.com/celebratehighwood. To volunteer or make a donation visit www.celebratehighwood.org/donate-support

or call (847) 432-6000.