Palatine Hometown Fest the latest summer festival to shut down due to COVID-19

Palatine's Hometown Fest that runs around the Fourth of July has been canceled for this year, the latest on a growing list of suburban summer festivals called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials from the Palatine Jaycees announced the cancellation Wednesday morning. It was scheduled to run July 2-5 at Community Park.

"A committee of volunteers have been working hard on planning this since October of last year and we did not come to this decision lightly," the organization stated on its Facebook page. "This year would have been the 64th Hometown Fest put on by the Palatine Jaycees. We are sad the tradition cannot go on this year."

The fest typically features fireworks, a carnival, a parade, food, live music, a beer tent, and an arts and crafts expo.

Proceeds from the long-running festival go toward funding the Palatine Jaycees' community projects, community grants and high school scholarships.

"The fact that we are unable to raise money for these projects at Hometown Fest weighs heavily on us," the Jaycees wrote. "Our chapter will have several fundraisers coming up to help us support these projects. We hope that you will consider participating in these fundraisers in place of the money you may have spent at Hometown Fest."

Still to be decided is the fate of the annual Palatine Street Fest, set for downtown from Aug. 28-30. The festival is to be discussed at the first village council session in June.

Palatine Village Manager Reid Ottesen said it's "unlikely" Street Fest will occur as scheduled, given the outline from Gov. J.B. Pritzker on how the economy is to reopen.

Since 2000, Street Fest has been an immensely popular gathering with bands, local food and family entertainment and activities over a three-day period in late August.

Among the other summer fests already called off this year are Arlington Heights' Frontier Days, Northwest Fourth Fest in Hoffman Estates and Buffalo Grove Days.