St. Mary's Country Fest brings an old tradition back to Mundelein

St. Mary of the Annunciation in Mundelein is bringing back its time-honored community tradition of holding its annual pork and corn roast after a four-year hiatus.

Country Fest 2017, a newly re-imagined pork and corn roast event, will be held from 1-7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 6, at St. Mary of the Annunciation, 22277 W. Erhart Road, Mundelein. The country-style feast will feature locally raised pork procured from the Lake County Fair, roasted on site by Beelow's and served with generous helpings of baked beans, corn, potato salad and fresh tomatoes, and assorted refreshments including local microbrewery Tighthead beer.

"The St. Mary Pork and Corn Roast was a 38-year tradition that brought people together from all over Lake County, and our community missed it," said Gary Gunther, longtime chair of the St. Mary Pork and Corn Roast and this year's co-chair of the Country Fest. "In its height, the Pork and Corn Roast needed about 400 volunteers to operate; everything from hog procurement and roasting to meal preparation and serving, set up and take down, a large-scale set of games, live bands and even a 5K race for many years."

As a result of the increasing volunteer demands, the Pork and Corn Roast was held for the last time in 2013. In 2014 a significantly scaled-back event, Harvest Fest, was introduced. This simpler version of a parish gathering included a catered pork and corn meal without the on-site pig roasting, organized games or add-on events.

This year the new Country Fest brings back many treasured Pork and Corn Roast components while also making the event manageable for St. Mary parish to host and enjoy. Seasoned patrons will be happy to note that much of the menu remains the same as in years past. However, by outsourcing the labor-intensive hog roasting and preparation of the many side dishes and desserts, the planning and volunteer staffing requirements of the parish have been eased.

An added culinary bonus to this year's Country Fest will be a rich offering of Filipino-style cuisine, including spicy beef skewers, noodles and handmade, fresh spring rolls, provided by St. Mary's growing Filipino community.

Fr. Jerry Jacobs, pastor of St. Mary of the Annunciation, invites the greater Mundelein community to attend Country Fest to revisit the joys of the Pork and Corn Roast meal, celebrate the area's farm heritage roots and join in the fellowship of this community-building event.

"My hope is that this event may make it possible for more families to attend while honoring some of the traditions of the past," Jacobs said. "I also hope that Country Fest may help to bring families closer together and all for an affordable cost."

Country Fest activities include will bingo, children's games, face painting, music, antique car and tractor exhibits, baggo, and a silent auction. Admission is free as are most children's games and exhibits. Meal tickets will be $10 for adults and $5 for children 10 and under, and can be purchased at the event or in person at the St. Mary Parish office. A la carte desserts from A Taste of Paris, Tighthead Brewing Co. beer, wine, soda, hot dogs and snacks will be available for purchase. For information, visit www.stmaryfc.org or call (847) 223-0010.