Arlington Hts. will add 'Taste' to Mane Event next month
Skeptics raised their eyebrows when Dr. Joseph Favia announced he wanted the Mane Event - the Arlington Heights street festival that comes the night before the running of the Arlington Million - expanded to two days and to add a Taste of Arlington Heights to the celebration.
But the president of the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce will pull off the idea he presented at his January inauguration.
The 2010 Mane Event will be held in downtown Arlington Heights, from 5-11 p.m., Aug. 20, the night before the Arlington Million at Arlington Park.
The Taste of Arlington Heights will be held on Aug. 21 and will be the official after-party for the big race.
The party will be announced at Arlington Park on Arlington Million day, said Jon Ridler, executive director of the chamber.
Both events will be in Harmony Park and on the street near Campbell Street and Vail Avenue.
Restaurants have been asking for a "Taste" for three years, said Ridler. They hope the Taste of Arlington Heights will attract 25 restaurants, more than the 15 who are allowed to sell food at the Mane Event.
All of Saturday's expenses, including overtime by village employees, will be paid for by the chamber and its corporate sponsors, especially Verizon. The Mane Event is sponsored by the Village of Arlington Heights, the chamber and the racetrack.
Mayor Arlene Mulder is pleased with the new event, and gave credit to the chamber for finding a way to pay for it. The village board approved the event Monday night.
"It's something we've talked about for years," said Mulder. "The chamber was interested, but we could never find a way to fund it. The village could never help them financially. I think it's absolutely the right timing."
Favia said the solution was to get figures on how much the event would cost and then find sponsors to pay the approximately $25,000.
"You make it a priority and you make it happen," he said.
At the Mane Event businesses give away gifts in an expo, children ride ponies both real and blowup and there's musical entertainment in addition to the food.
Plans for Saturday include "car-free family day" starting at noon. Since the streets will be blocked off anyway, families are urged to ride their bikes downtown starting at noon for a mini business expo and probably some food sales. The Taste of Arlington Heights will officially be from 5 to 11 p.m., and there will be entertainment.
Traditionally for the Mane Event Campbell and Vail are blocked off, and everything occurs from the parking garage on Vail Avenue south to Davis Street and on Campbell from Dunton Street west to just past Highland Avenue.
"We have great restaurants and residents need to know that and they have to support the local restaurants and help them stay open," said Ridler, referring to a few that had closed recently.