Water show canceled, but fireworks still on Saturday in Fox River Grove
Community support - in the form of donations - helped keep this year Fox River Grove's fireworks celebration alive.
"I mean we've gotten more donations this year than previously - it's really been great," said Donna Brouder, a member of the committee that puts on the annual event.
In addition to people donating money when they bought their vehicle stickers, the Spring Beach Improvement Association contributed $500 to keep the party going, Brouder said.
The show is slated for Saturday, July 10, in Picnic Grove Park.
To save $1,500, the village decided to cancel the water portion of the show - the fireworks costs $15,000.
Brouder says more than half of the fireworks money so far has come from local businesses, groups and residents.
The park opens at 6 p.m. Saturday and will feature food, soft drinks and alcohol sold by the Fox River Grove Lions Club, the Fox River Grove Lioness Club, the Cary-Grove Masons and the Cary-Grove Jaycees.
They have agreed to donate half of their proceeds back to the village for next year's fireworks show.
Free shuttle buses start running at 6 p.m. and the routes go as follows:
• One picks people up from the Hunters Farm, Welch's and Victoria Woods subdivisions.
• The second collects them from Foxmoor subdivision.
• The final route picks residents up from Algonquin Road School, Lions Park and the Metra parking lot, three places people can park.
A pair of local disc jockeys will start the music at 6 p.m. and will synchronize it in time with the fireworks program.
No pets are allowed.
Because the event is a fundraiser, people are not allowed to bring their own food or beverages inside the park.
Between 1,500 and 2,500 guest are expected, said Brouder, who is also the village clerk.
"It's something that everyone enjoys and it's for every age group ... for the whole family," she said.
"People call us in January because they want to plan their vacations around it."
For information about the festival, visit www.foxrivergrove-il.org