Glendale Heights Fest returns July 9-12 with fireworks and four days of music
Glendale Heights Fest, a popular four-day summer festival, returns July 9-12 at Camera Park with 14 live music acts, carnival rides, food vendors, and family activities. The free admission event will feature headliners Chicago Rockhouse, Hi Infidelity, Down/Pour, and Back Country Roads.
Festival hours are 4 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, 2 to 11 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 10 p.m. Sunday, at Camera Park, 101 E. Fullerton Ave. Admission is free.
Note: Fest grounds are fenced in; check the website for a list of prohibited items. Clear bags will be available for $5 from ICNA Relief Chicago (cash, card or Apple Pay). All proceeds will benefit the food pantry, which is open to the public three days a week, right here in Glendale Heights. The pantry provides groceries, produce, dairy, baked goods, and resources to support our neighbors.
There are three main entrances and exits: north gate on East Fullerton Avenue; west gate off President Street; and south gate, east of Bloomingdale Road.
Music lineup
The four-day festival will open on Thursday with School of Rock Glen Ellyn performing at 4:30 p.m., followed by the dance/party band Libido Funk Circus at 6 p.m. The opening ceremony at 6:45 p.m. will feature the Glenbard District 87 marching bands. Line Up Dance Instruction marks its 10th year of line dancing at the festival at 8 p.m. before the headliner Back Country Roads hits the stage at 8:30 p.m.
Once again, Glendale Heights own Spanish rock band, Los Corb, will open the music stage at 4:30 p.m. Friday, followed by Big City Nights bringing in the hard rock and heavy metal sound of The Scorpions at 6:30 p.m. The headliners, Down/Pour, will offer a salute to AC/DC at 9 p.m.
On Saturday, the new band Velvet Drive, a four-piece Elmhurst band that travels through different decades and genres of music, will take to the stage at 3 p.m. They will be followed by The Moods at 4 p.m., with a repertoire of Motown, golden oldies, Top 40, and dance anthems from the 1960s to today.
At 6:30 p.m., opening for the headliner will be the nine-piece band Whiskey Road which features four lead vocalists performing country, southern, and classic rock favorites. Hi Infidelity will end the night with their classic rock and arena rock sounds at 9 p.m.
On Sunday, Fuse Band will be performing music from Santana, classic rock, salsa and more at 4 p.m., followed by rock band Exit 147 at 6 p.m.
At 8 p.m., headliner Chicago Rockhouse is returning to Glendale Heights Fest to close out the final day before the fireworks show at 9:30 p.m. The band, which formed four years ago, debuted its first outdoor festival show at the town’s popular summer festival back in 2023.
Food lineup
The lineup of food vendors includes: Amigas Restaurant, Blackhawk BBQ, Cooper Concessions, Daisy's Ice Cream, Doggie Diner Concessions, El Mezquite Mexican Restaurant, Elizalde, Gaby's Funnel Cakes, Kona Ice, Norma's Tacos, Porky’s House, Rise Cafe, Steamboat BBQ, Suzies Fun Foods, Taco Gyro, Tacos El Tio 5 Icon, and Tacos El Tio. The menus are now available on the festival website.
The Glendale Heights Foundation, Kiwanis Club of Glendale Heights, and the Glendale Heights VFW Post 2377 will be selling drink wristbands for $1 to those age 21 or older; cash only. Schnitzel Platz Restaurant will be providing alcoholic drinks for sale. The carnival also will have lemonade available, and various food vendors will have refreshments as well.
Fireworks
The fireworks spectacular on the final day of the festival often attracts crowds of more than 15,000 people. The fireworks show goes off at approximately 9:30 p.m. Sunday over the Glendale Lakes Golf Club, just to the west of Camera Park. You do not have to enter the fest grounds to see the display. Parking lots fill up fast starting early in the day so arrive early to grab a good seat.
On Sunday, Fullerton Avenue will be closed between President Street and Bloomingdale Road between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. This means vehicles parked in the parking lots along Fullerton Avenue will not be allowed to exit until the roadways are clear of pedestrian traffic.
Carnival
Save on unlimited carnival rides by purchasing your wristband in advance. In-person purchase is limited to Glendale Heights residents only. Residents and non-residents may purchase pre-sale wristbands vouchers or MegaPass online, plus applicable fees.
Pre-sale vouchers for $25 are available July 1 through the morning of July 9 at the Sports Hub, 250 Civic Center Plaza. Both residents and non-residents may purchase pre-sale wristbands vouchers online, at the non-resident rate of $30, plus applicable fees. Wristbands purchased at the fest are $35.
The four-day MegaPass for $85 is valid for unlimited rides all weekend long. It is available online until midnight Thursday, July 9.
The carnival hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 2 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Parking and street closures
Parking is available on-site every day of festival for a fee. Plan ahead as the parking lot tends to fill up quickly. Additional parking is available around town and is only a short walk to Camera Park. For a map of the parking locations and fees, go to glendaleheightsfest.com.
Watch for street closures on Sunday, July 12, from 7 to 11 p.m.: Fullerton Avenue from Bloomingdale Road to President Street, President Street from Armitage Avenue to Fullerton Avenue. The Camera Park and Americana Park parking lots will be closed for the viewing of the fireworks display.
To provide safety to the viewing public and ensure access for emergency services personnel, residents parking in each of these lots will be unable to leave the lots until the streets have been reopened after the fireworks.
Glendale Heights Fest
When: 4 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, July 9; 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, July 10; 2 to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 11; and 2 to 10 p.m. Sunday, July 12
Where: Camera Park, 101 E. Fullerton Ave., Glendale Heights
Admission: Entrance to the fest area is free. Parking is available on-site every day for a free, but plan ahead as the parking lot tends to fill up quickly. Additional parking is available around town and only a short walk to Camera Park.