Parades, fireworks, festivals part of Fourth of July festivities in Lake County
Independence Day is on its way, and in Lake County, that means there is a lot to do in the suburbs. Here is a guide to navigating the many festivals, parades and fireworks showings. Most events are free.
Antioch
Wednesday, July 4
Festival: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Williams Park. Includes fair, entertainment, food, music and fireworks. 5K Liberty Run at 8 a.m. Children’s fair at noon. Includes food, sports tournaments and carnival games.
Parade: 10:30 a.m. Starts at Route 173 and Route 83, heads north on Main Street, ends on Poplar Avenue.
Fireworks: 9:30 p.m. Bandshell, 900 Skidmore Dr. Includes musical entertainment.
For more information, call (847) 395-2160 or visit antioch.il.gov.
Fox Lake
Saturday, July 7
Festival: Follows parade. Lakefront Park, 71 Nippersink Blvd. Includes live entertainment, games and craft show.
Parade: 10 a.m. Starts at Grant High School, heads west along Grand Avenue to Fox Lake Towne Center. Parade entry judging at 12:30 p.m. at Lakefront Park. Storytelling at 12:45 p.m.
Fireworks: Dusk. Over Chain O’ Lakes.
Call (847) 587-2151 or visit foxlake.org.
Great Lakes Naval Station
Tuesday, July 3
Festival: 3 to 11:30 p.m. Ross Field. Live amateur boxing matches and live music at 3:30 p.m. Firecracker Rock & Run 5K at 9 p.m. Children’s fair and paintballing from 3 to 8:30 p.m. Includes carnival, arts and craft fair, bingo tent and food and beverage booths from local area vendors.
Fireworks: 11 p.m. Ross Field.
Wednesday, July 4
Festival: Noon to 10 p.m. Live music from noon to 8:15 p.m. Includes a carnival, arts and craft fair, bingo tent and food and beverage booths from local area vendors. Motorcycle stunt shows at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Chicago Sky Tumblers performances at 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Fireworks: 9:30 p.m. Ross Field.
Call (847) 688-2110, ext. 484 or visit facebook.com/GreatLakes4thofJuly or mwrgl.com.
Hawthorn Woods
Tuesday, July 3
Fireworks: 6 p.m. Hawthorn Woods Community Park, 42 Park View Lane.
Wednesday, July 4
Parade: 10 a.m. to noon. Starts at Falkirk Road and Lagoon Drive and ends at village hall, 2 Lagoon Drive.
Call (847) 438-5500 or visit vhw.org.
Island Lake
Wednesday, July 4
Festival: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Island Lake Veterans Park, Route 176 at Lakeview Drive. Celebration includes community picnic, pony rides and games.
Parade: 10 a.m. Starts on Burnett Road between Darrell and River roads.
Call (847) 526-5049 or visit villageofislandlake.com.
Lakemoor
Wednesday, July 4
Parade: 9 a.m. Starts at Lakemoor Banquet Facility and ends at Morrison Park. Includes judging of Mr. and Ms. Lakemoor, best decorated bike or scooter and best decorated dog contests at Morrison Park following parade. Registration free day of event.
Call (815) 385-1117 or visit lakemoor.net.
Lake Zurich
Wednesday, July 4
Festival: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Paulus Park, 200 S. Rand Road. Admission $7 for adults, $2 for kids. Includes live music, food, rides, arts and crafts.
Fireworks: Dusk. Paulus Park, 200 S. Rand Road.
Call (847) 438-5146 or visit volz.org/parkandrec.
Libertyville
Tuesday, July 3
Festival: 7:30 p.m. Independence Grove, 16400 W. Buckley Road. Includes Great Lakes Naval Band and color guard performances. Parking fee $5.
Wednesday, July 4
Festival: 7:30 p.m. Butler Lake, 800 Lake St. Patriotic performance by Village Band.
Fireworks: 9:30 p.m. Butler Lake, 800 Lake St. Call (847) 918-2028 or visit libertyville.com.
Lincolnshire
Tuesday, July 3
Festival: 4 to 10 p.m. Spring Lake Park, 49 Oxford Drive. Includes bicycle and stroller decoration contest, children’s concert and poms performance. Food court and beer tent open at 5 p.m. Personalities DJ from 7:30 to 10 p.m.
Wednesday, July 4
Festival: 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Spring Lake Park, 49 Oxford Drive. Includes pancake feast from 7 to 10:30 a.m., 31st annual 5K from 8 to 10 a.m. and games. Food court and beer tent open at noon. Cardboard boat regatta from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Hillbilly Rockstarz DJ from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Parade: 11 a.m. to noon. Starts at Laura B. Sprague School parking lot, ends at Spring Lake Park. Visit lincolnshirecommunity.org.
Mundelein
Wednesday, July 4
Festival: Mundelein Community Days. Kracklauer Park, 100 N. Seymour. Food tents open at noon. Includes live music from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Fireworks: 9:30 p.m. Seymour Avenue at Courtland Street.
Call (847) 949-3200 or visit mundelein.org.
Round Lake Beach
Wednesday, July 4
Festival and fireworks: Postponed until Sept. 2 due to hot and drought-like conditions.
Call (847) 546-8558 or visit roundlakeareaparkdistrict.org.
Vernon Hills
Wednesday, July 4
Parade: 9 a.m. Starts on Deerpath and Atrium Drive, heads south to Sullivan Drive, then west to Aspen Drive. Floats include costumed characters, drum and bugle corps, bands and more. Bike, scooter and wagon decoration contest at 8 a.m. at Deerpath and Atrium for children with adults.
Festival: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Century Park, 1001 Lakeview Parkway. Includes live music.
Fireworks: 9:30 p.m. over Big Bear and Little Bear lakes.
Call (847) 996-6933 or vernonhills.org.
Wauconda
Tuesday, July 3
Fireworks: Postponed due to high fire risk. Event has not yet been rescheduled. Call (847) 526-3610 or waucondaparks.com.
Waukegan
Sunday, July 1
Festival: 2:30 to 5 p.m. Bowen Park. Includes petting zoo, climbing wall, dunk tank, arts and crafts, children’s games and skate expo with entertainment provided by Rip with RIP Records. Waukegan Band will play a program of American music from 3 to 5 p.m. Food vendors start serving at 11:30 a.m.
Parade: 1 p.m. Starts on Franklin Street and Sheridan Road, heads north to Bowen Park.
For more information, call (847) 360-4700.
Wednesday, July 4
Fireworks: 9:30 p.m. Silver Park, 55 Harbor Place.
Call (847) 599-2525.