Gilberts marks 135 years with music, food, crafts at Community Days festival
Gilberts Community Days is marking the village's 135th anniversary of incorporation with big headliners, more food vendors, and a craft and vendor fair instead of a business expo.
There will be live musical entertainment on stage; free children's activities including a petting zoo, reptile show, crafts, face painting and rock painting; a carnival full of rides and games; local food and drinks; a classic car show on Sunday; and more.
On Thursday, May 29, it will be open with the carnival preview night from 6 to 10 p.m. at Town Square Park, 195 Jackson St. Festival hours continue from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 30; noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 31; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, June 1. Admission is free.
The festival’s first Craft & Artisan Market, featuring over 40 vendors, will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, in the southwest corner of the park by the playground. Check out the vendors offering baked goods, sourdoughs, honey, body care, candles, jewelry, trucker hat bar, apparel, T-shirt bar, embroidery, art and 3D prints, woodwork and more.
The main stage entertainment will open at 5 p.m. Friday with Quest, playing music by Queen, Elton John and Supertramp, and Y2K, a 2000s-era tribute band, at 6:30 p.m., followed by the headliner and festival favorite 7th Heaven at 8:30 p.m.
On Saturday, The Lennys! will kick off the music at 1:30 p.m., followed by the Eric Case Band performing alt-country and Americana rock at 4 p.m. The Americana folk/rock group Fletcher Rockwell will take the stage at 6 p.m. followed by headliner Sister Hazel at 8:30 p.m.
The festival will close out on Sunday with the local Hampshire band, 27 West, playing tunes from the 1960s to the 2000s at 1:30 p.m., followed by The PriSSillas, an all-girl cover band, at 4 p.m. and Second Hand News, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, at 6 p.m.
There will be food offerings from Pub 72, Cruisin' Bar & Eatery, Huntley's Tacos Locos, Midwest Smoke Barbecue, Blackhawk BBQ & Seafood, Midwest Citrus Smashers, Knights of Columbus, and Cousins Maine Lobster.
The carnival offers unlimited rides for $35 on Friday and Saturday evening; $30 on Thursday evening and between 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; and $25 on Sunday evening.
There will be additional parking and free shuttle service available from Town Center Park to the festival grounds at Town Square Park. For more, visit gilbertscommunitydays.com or facebook.com/gilbertscommunitydays.