Cream of Wheaton kicks off summer with live music, carnival and family fun

A beloved community tradition returns this summer as the Wheaton Park District and Wheaton Chamber of Commerce welcome back Cream of Wheaton on June 4-7 at Memorial Park and throughout downtown Wheaton.

The longtime festival brings together residents and visitors for four days of live entertainment, food vendors, a beer garden, carnival rides, kids’ activities, a business expo, and an arts and crafts fair.

New this year, the carnival will be located at the corner of Liberty Drive and Carlton Avenue. Wristbands are $25 in advance or $30 day of.

Festival hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday; 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Memorial Park, 225 Karlskoga Ave. Admission is free.

Shop a variety of local vendors featuring handmade art, jewelry, home decor, accessories, clothing, and more at the arts & crafts fair from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Stop by the business expo for information on local businesses, giveaways, and more from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Kids activities, including face painting, activities, giveaways, and more, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. Sunday. Two-for-one Mini Golf will be offered from 3 p.m. to dusk on Thursday and Friday and noon to dusk on Saturday and Sunday at Clocktower Mini Golf & Skate Park

Run for the Animals

On Saturday, get up early to cheer on the runners at the Cosley Zoo Run for the Animals 5K/10K & Kids Half-Mile. There’s still time to sign up for a race via cosleyzoo.org/run-for-the-animals/. The fees are $45 for 10K, $40 for 5K, or $20 for the kids’ race. The price increases by $5 after 11:59 p.m. June 5. If you can’t attend, sign up for a virtual run.

The Cosley Foundation race raises funds for the animals at Cosley Zoo as well as exhibit development projects, public programs and conservation projects.

The 5K and 10K start at 7:30 a.m. with the kids’ half-mile run at 8:45 a.m. All races begin and end near Memorial Park.

The beer garden will be opening early at 8 a.m. for refreshments and the post-race party and entertainment will be 8:30 a.m. to noon.

Live music

Four days of music will kick off on Thursday at the Memorial Park band shell with the Wheaton Warrenville South Show Choir presenting “The Classics, Esprit,” accompanied by the show band, from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. Electro Retro, a dance and party band playing dance, pop, and rock hits from the 1970s to today, will take the stage from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m.

On Friday, Banned Joe will open with country and rock from 4 to 5:15 p.m., followed by hometown favorites Vital Signs from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Headliners The Ron Burgundy’s will be performing yacht rock and softcore rock from 8 to 9:30 p.m.

On Saturday, the ’90s pop and R&B cover band Run Forrest Run will open the music stage from 10 a.m. to noon as part of the post-race entertainment for the Cosley Zoo Run for the Animals.

Liquidated Damages will perform from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., followed by ALTraWAVE, a 1980s show focusing on classic Alternative and New Wave sound from 2 to 3:15 p.m.

Hometown favorites Mixtape Collective will rock out from 4 to 5:15 p.m. Relive the ‘90s with Nerdvana from 6 to 7:15 p.m., followed by headliners and Midwest festival favorites Infinity from 8 to 9:30 p.m.

Chemically Imbalanced, which mixes sing-along classics with danceable rock hits, will open the final day of the festival from noon to 1 p.m. Sunday.

From 1:45 to 3:15 p.m., Mickey Hatfield & the Whiskey Burning Band are kicking of their Humble and Kind Tour offering a tribute to the storytellers of Americana, Roots rock and country music.

Enjoy alt-rock favorites from 1970s punk to ’80s New Wave to today with Like a Stone from 3:45 to 5 p.m.

Headliners Libido Funk Circus, the dance and party band, will close out the annual festival from 5:45 to 7 p.m. Sunday,

The Make Music Wheaton Stage will feature smaller acts performing for about a half hour over two days with Valery Lanotte at 5:15 p.m. and Jenn Harris at 7:30 p.m. Friday; Terry Shapiro at 1:30 p.m., Corey Palmer at 3:30 p.m., Suzy Schwartz at 5:30 p.m., and Chipotle Friday/Haley Wilson at 7:30 p.m.

First held in 1982, Cream of Wheaton has evolved over the years while remaining a staple event for the community. The festival continues to bring people together to celebrate community local businesses, service organizations, and the start of summer.

“Cream of Wheaton is a tradition that so many in our community look forward to each year,” said Mike Benard, executive director of the Wheaton Park District. “We’re excited to welcome everyone back for another year of great entertainment, food, and family-friendly activities, along with a new carnival location that enhances the overall experience.”

“The chamber is proud to partner once again to bring this event to life,” said Jamie Mayfield, president of the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce. “Cream of Wheaton is a great opportunity to showcase our local businesses while creating a fun, welcoming atmosphere for the entire community.”

Additional event details, including entertainment schedules and vendor information can be found at wheatonparkdistrict.com and wheatonchamber.com.