Rose Festival marks start of summer
Defining the official start of summer can be a little tricky.
Oh, sure, some people insist on following the calendar. For others, the Memorial Day weekend is an obvious jumping off point. For still others it’s when they wiggle into their swimsuit and take their first dip in the community pool.
In Roselle, the whole thing is a lot easier. For 52 years now, residents know it’s summer when the village celebrates its annual Rose Festival.
The celebration opens again tonight and continues through Sunday, June 5, with carnival rides, musical entertainment, a beer garden, food vendors and the Rose Parade, mostly based at the Metra station at Maple Avenue and Irving Park Road.
Music will be featured in the beer garden each night, beginning today with local favorite Chunky Monkey playing songs from the ‘60s.
On Sunday, Run for the Roses, a 5K walk/run started 17 years ago by Mark Mandel of Mark Drugs Pharmacy, will raise money to benefit the Tourettes Syndrome Association.
The run will begin at 8 a.m. at Clauss Recreation Center, 555 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., and a youth run will follow at 9 a.m.
Also on Sunday, the Rose Parade steps off at 2 p.m. and makes its way from Turner Park up Irving Park Road. The Grand Marshal is the 2011 Roselle Chamber Business Person of the Year, John T. Dabrowski.
Professional floats, the Lake Park High School marching band, the Rose Queen pageant winner, dancers, fire trucks and police vehicles all will be featured.
Gail Croson, executive director of the Roselle Chamber of Commerce, said the parade will include a Fourth of July float to show residents the chamber will be funding this year’s fireworks, which almost were doused by the village’s budgetary concerns.
Another float will feature Tony Spavone, a local restaurant owner who entertains his guests by serenading them as they eat.
It is also known as “the candy parade” Croson said, and walkers will be passing out candy to the children as usual.
Admission to the festival, sponsored by the Roselle Lions Club, is free.
However, festival chairmen Bob Jilke said sales of items at the event makes it one of the club’s main fundraisers.
“We don’t solicit money from the community, so this is a way for people to come out and have a good time and we make a profit,” Jilke said.
The club’s main cause is contributing to the blind and deaf.
Since the 1925 International Convention when Helen Keller challenged the members to become advocates for the blind, clubs around the world have been dedicated to supporting this cause.
The money made at the Rose Festival will pay for things such as hearing dogs, Braille schools and eye exams and eyeglasses for disadvantaged members of the community, Jilke said.
The Lions Club continues to contribute to various community needs as well. The money from the festival will help fund lighting for the Turner Park Ice Skating Rink that was built earlier this year.
If you go
If you go
What: Rose Festival
When: 6-11 p.m. today, 6 p.m. to midnight Friday, noon to midnight Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. Sunday
Where: Roselle Metra station, Maple Avenue and Irving Park Road
Cost: Free
Info: rosellelions.org or (630) 980-2000