Northbrook Days Festival raised $95K for scholarships, grants
The Northbrook Civic Foundation and the Northbrook Days Festival Committee reported that the 2021 festival, Aug. 4-8, netted $95,000 for college scholarships and community grants.
Bringing the festival back downtown to a new location - the west lot of the Northbrook Metra Train Station - was clearly a winning solution. Even with having to close early on Aug. 6 due to a thunderstorm, the five-day festival was a financial success, drawing big crowds throughout. Attendance figures were not available because it is free to enter the festival grounds.
The best financial year for the festival was in 2016 when it earned $112,000 for scholarships and grants.
Overall the Northbrook Civic Foundation, a nonprofit volunteer organization, has raised more than $3.2 million and converted those funds into scholarships for college-bound students and donated to worthwhile organizations in Northbrook.
"It was fantastic being back in the heart of downtown Northbrook once again, particularly after last year's COVID-19 cancellation," said Northbrook Civic Foundation President Ellen Westel.
"Thank you to everyone who attended and to all the community volunteers who helped make the festival happen. This hometown tradition has been around for nearly a century, and we look forward to continuing it again next year," she said.
The Northbrook Civic Foundation intends to discuss plans with the Village of Northbrook about the possibility of hosting the August 2022 festival at the same location.
In addition to many festival sponsors who supported Northbrook Days, the Northbrook Civic Foundation thanked the Village of Northbrook, the Northbrook Police Department, the Northbrook Fire Department and the Northbrook Park District for providing logistical support. Without the backing of volunteers and sponsors, the festival and the donations that come from it would not be possible.
Each year the festival features local food and drink, carnival games and rides, raffle prizes and live music. Northbrook Days is the only annual fundraiser for the Northbrook Civic Foundation, which has been supporting the local community since its 1907 founding as the Shermerville Improvement Club.
The Northbrook Civic Foundation has provided grants to nonprofit and social service agencies including the Northbrook Public Library, Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook, Northbrook Community Nursery School, Northbrook Historical Society, Northfield Township Food Pantry, Josselyn Center, Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA) and Northbrook Baseball.
The foundation may be reached at info@northbrookcivic.com.