Honor heroes and celebrate community at The Naperville Salute

Posted June 15, 2023 11:00 pm

More than a dozen musical acts are set to take the stage at The Naperville Salute, a hometown Independence Day celebration at Rotary Hill June 30-July 3. The Main Stage is sponsored by Gerald Auto Group. Courtesy of The Naper Salute

You can enjoy Independence Day weekend in Naperville with The Naperville Salute, a hometown fest paying tribute to veterans, active military, first responders and their families.

Set for Friday, June 30, through Monday, July 3, Naperville Salute takes place at Rotary Hill on Aurora Avenue in Naperville, adjacent to downtown Naperville and Naperville Central High School. The event includes live music, excellent food and a variety of exciting activities for all ages.

Michele Clemen, chair of The Naperville Salute, said the event was created in 2020 to give Naperville its own hometown summer celebration. That first year, organizers were only able to host fireworks due to the pandemic. Live music and more activities were added the following year, and the event has continued to grow each year.

To help honor the brave men and women who have served, The Naperville Salute will also feature a Ruck March at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 2, starting at Rotary Hill. Participants will wear weighted vests or carry weighted backpacks during the march.

"The Ruck March is meant to symbolize what a lot of our military men and women have done for years, carrying heavy packs and marching into battle," Clemen said.

With RibFest no longer taking place in Naperville, Clemen hopes The Naperville Salute can be an ideal alternative for a local summer festival, but on a smaller scale.

"The community of Naperville values those who have served our nation and this is a way to celebrate our independence while honoring veterans, active duty men and women, as well as our first responders who allow us to be free and safe," Clemen said. "It's a great opportunity to celebrate the weekend with friends and family."

Gerald Auto Group is sponsoring the Main Stage for The Naperville Salute.

"It's wonderful that Gerald Auto Group and Gerald Cares continue to support this event," Clemen said. "They have been donors since the beginning. I love that our local businesses really value the mission of the organization and want to be involved. Gerald Auto Group has been a great partner."

"We can't think of a better way to commemorate Independence Day weekend than with a hometown festival honoring our veterans, active military and first responders," said Donna Lawler of the Gerald Auto Group. "It is a genuine privilege to be involved with The Naperville Salute and celebrate with the community."

Festivities kick off at 4pm Friday, June 30. Musical acts on the Main Stage include:

Friday, June 30

4PM - This End Up

6PM - Soul 2 the Bone

8PM - Hello Weekend

Saturday, July 1

4PM - Renegade Wildflower

6PM - JD Clayton

8PM - The Cadillac Three

Sunday, July 2

2PM - Convoy

4PM - Wild Daisy

6PM - The Gingers

8PM - ARRA

Monday, July 3

4PM - OMT

6PM - PriSSillas

8PM - Whiskey Romance

Proceeds from the fest will benefit Naperville Responds for Veterans, an organization that assists veterans and their families in need with home repairs.

To learn more about The Naperville Salute, visit https://www.napervillesalute.org. For information about Gerald Auto Group, visit www.geraldcars.com.

There's plenty of fun and celebration for everyone at The Naperville Salute, a four-day Independence Day celebration paying tribute to veterans, active military, first responders and their families. Courtesy of The Naper Salute

Participants in The Naperville Salute's Ruck March on the morning of Sunday, July 2, will wear weighted vests or carry weighted backpacks to symbolize what military men and women do in service. Courtesy of The Naper Salute

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