Celebrate Highwood Announces 2015 Series Of Family Friendly Festivals And Events
After a monumental 2014 year of family-friendly festivals and events, Celebrate Highwood is thrilled to announce its 2015 series! A collaboration between the Highwood Chamber of Commerce, Highwood Historical Society and City of Highwood, plans call for an incredible line up kicking off Wednesday, June 10th with Highwood's Evening Market, held weekly on Wednesdays from 4-9pm in Everts Park (130 Highwood Ave. Highwood, IL). Other events include: the annual Highwood Days, Bloody Mary Fest, Garlic Fest, Girls Night Out, the Great Highwood Pumpkin Fest and the Highwood Holiday Lighting festival.
• Highwood's Evening Market - Wednesdays June 10th-August 26th (4-9pm) - Everts Park
Recognized as one of the best on the North Shore, this is not any ordinary open-air market. This vibrant party in the park has become a tradition for friends and family seeking great food, entertainment and shopping. Every Wednesday from 4-9pm in Everts Park (130 Highwood Avenue), guests are able to enjoy dinner and cocktails, while exploring the market's many vendors and listening to live music acts.
Highwood Evening Market Live Music Line-up (all bands will play from 6-830 pm):
June 10- Cirrus Fallon - Acoustic cover band
June 17- Matt Feddermann - Sounds are reminiscent of Tom Petty and The Beatles
June 24- Poor Mans Cow - Rock, Hearty Blues, originals and a few ballads
July 1- The Luxmen - Pop and rock band
July 8- Eric Howell - One-man acoustic show
July 15- Carl Davis Band - 50's-60's era Chicago Blues
July 22- Ravinia Ramblers - Jamgrass and Country pop cover band
July 29- Jonah Brooks Band - local musician
August 5- Corpo Musicale Olgiatese - Italian band
August 12- Departure - Grateful Dead Inspired cover band
August 19 Cover Story Band - dance music covers
August 26- Adam Greenberg - solo performer
• Highwood Days - June 26th-28th (Fri: 5-11pm, Sat: 1-11pm, Sun: 1-9pm) - Metra Lot
Highwood's oldest festival will feature three days of family fun in Highwood's Metra Lot, where attendees can enjoy live music, food and drink, as well as thrilling carnival rids for parents and kids of all ages!
Highwood Day Live Music Line-up:
•Friday, June 26:
8-10:30pm - Uptown Six - 70's and 80's cover band
•Saturday, June 27:
3-5pm - Serendipity - All girl band from the Chicago suburbs
5:30-7:30pm - Rally Day - Classic rock cover band
8-10:30pm - Davidson County Band - High-energy Country cover band
•Sunday, June 28:
3-5pm - Pirates Over 40 - Jimmy Buffett cover band, with a mix of classic rock & oldies
6-8:30pm - Stayin' Late - Classic rock cover band
• Sixth Annual Bloody Mary Fest - Sunday, July 26th (10-5pm) - Everts Park
Mixologists from near and far will shake up their special recipes and compete for the title of the Best Bloody Mary in the Midwest. Judged by a panel of "celebrity experts" and "the people," contestants will be evaluated on a combination of categories ranging from taste, presentation, garnish and more! Held at Everts Park (130 Highwood Avenue), and sponsored by Miss Mary's Bloody Mary Mix and Van Gogh Vodka, Bloody Mary goers will enjoy food, live entertainment, and more! The event will benefit www.jordabscorner.org.
Bloody Mary Fest Live Music Line-up:
11am -1pm - Zydeco Voodoo Band - Traditional New Orleans music and popular rock and blues
2-5pm - Project Two Music - ensemble that specializes in performing Broadway musical songs
• Fifth Annual Garlic Fest - Wednesday August 19th (4-9pm) - Everts Park
The City of Highwood will get stinky as the scent of garlic once again fills the air of Everts Park (130 Highwood Avenue). Garlic-lovers will be able to sample an assortment of garlic creations from out-of-the-ordinary garlic ice cream, candy, cupcakes and cocktails, to the more usual pastas, sauces, breads, and butters. Held during Highwood's Evening Market, the fest features a Taste of Garlic Competition for the Savory and Sweet categories, as well as the very popular Garlic Queen and Garlic Princess Competitions.
Garlic Fest Live Music from 6-830 pm:
Cover Story Band - dance music covers
• Girls Night Out - Thursday September 17th (5-9pm) - Throughout Downtown Highwood girls turn to feel spoiled and enjoy a night on the town! Held at different businesses throughout Downtown Highwood, participants move from one location to the next, indulging in art demonstrations, spa and beauty treatments, shopping specials, food, drinks, and more!
• The Great Highwood Pumpkin Fest - October 9th-11th (Fri: 4-10pm, Sat: 11-10pm, Sun: 11-9pm) - Downtown Highwood
In its sixth year, The Great Highwood Pumpkin Fest is back and bigger then ever! The City of Highwood and The Autism Society of Illinois are excited to host the fest and hope to break the Guinness World Record for the most jack-o-lanterns lit simultaneously. Benefitting The Autism Society of Illinois, Fest promoters hope to carve a pumpkin for each of the 52,000 individuals in Illinois that are impacted by Autism. Once again, the 2015 festival will be packed with daily events, vendors galore, live music, hay rides, pumpkin carving, massive pumpkin displays that will be lit up nightly to dance to music, the light up the night parade, pet costume contest, pumpkin pie eating contest, the 5K Pumpkin Run, Walk and Kids' Dash, and so much more!
• Highwood Holiday Lighting - Saturday, November 28th (3-5pm) - City Hall Park
Celebrate the start of the holiday season in Highwood! Located at City Hall Park (17 Highwood Avenue), join the City of Highwood's Mayor, The Highwood Chamber of Commerce, and the Highwood Historical Society as they light up City Hall Park and spread holiday cheer around the town. Participants get to experience holiday cheer with a mini Kringle Market, photos with Santa, and holiday food favorites all while listening to holiday music, carolers and more.
For information on joining the Highwood Chamber of Commerce to be a part of their great events, please contact info@highwoodchamberofcommerce.com. For questions on specific events or to be a sponsor, please call 847-432-6000 or visit www.CelebrateHighwood.com.
ABOUT CELEBRATE HIGHWOOD
Celebrate Highwood is a collaboration between the City of Highwood, Highwood Chamber of Commerce and the Highwood Historical Society. It is the mission of the Celebrate Highwood Committee to provide a platform for the City of Highwood, the Highwood Chamber of Commerce and the Highwood Historical Society to develop events that cater to the wants and needs of the citizens, commerce and visitors of Highwood. This will be achieved through inter-organizational collaboration, sharing resources and promoting the City in a positive light.