Gingers Unite At Second Annual Redhead Days Chicago Affiliate
HIGHWOOD, IL (JUNE 4-5 2016) - After an amazingly successful inaugural event, the second annual Redhead Days Chicago Affiliate is gearing up to set Highwood, IL on fire with colorful hues of red on June 4+5, 2016. The event will expand this year into Everts Park (130 Highwood Avenue), with plenty of food, fun and family friendly activities to enjoy all weekend long. Admission is free and redheaded attendees are asked to register at the main tent in order to be part of the count for most redheads gathered in one place!
"We had no idea how huge of a success our first annual Redhead Days Chicago Affiliate would be," says Jim Stoecker, Highwood's honorary redhead, event organizer and owner of Highwood's Alex's Washington Gardens. "People have been reaching out all year long and are eagerly anticipating the excitement we have in store!"
Seeking to unite the global redhead community through their three core values of bonding, pride and recognition, Highwood's inaugural Redhead Days Chicago Affiliate brought more than 2,500 people, including 1,100 registered redheads of all ages from around the country. Visitors came from as far away as Washington DC, Louisiana, Arizona and New Mexico as well as neighboring Midwest states of Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
"The momentum has been building and this year will be a ginger jamboree as thousands of redheads gather in Highwood to share stories, and wander in amazement at their fellow reds," says Stoecker.
But you don't have to be a redhead to join the fun! Highwood's Redhead Days Chicago Affiliate 2016 features two full days of live music sponsored by Chicago's iconic, The Redhead Piano Bar and School of Rock, local food vendors, beer, wine and other red-themed cocktails and soft drinks, as well as a petting zoo, pony rides, bounce houses, inflatable plastic bubble suit games, photo opportunities, red furred pet contests and more.
RECORD BREAKING PHOTO OPPORTUNITY, Sunday June 5th at 2 p.m.
One of the highlights of Highwood's Redhead Days is the opportunity to be a part of an aerial group photo capturing the country's largest gathering of redheads, in hopes to break a world record. Last year's photo captured more than 750 gingers donning blue shirts to really make their red-locks stand out. This year everyone is encouraged to wear red in honor of the original Redhead Days in Breda, Holland's 11th annual event color theme "50 Shades of Red", celebrating that no two 'reds' are alike. The great photo gathering will take place Sunday at 2 p.m. in the center of Everts Park.
CARROT CAKE THROWDOWN, Saturday June 4th at 2 p.m.
In keeping with the 'carrot top' theme, the Fest will feature the 2nd Annual Carrot Cake Throwdown on Saturday starting at 2 p.m. Esteemed bakers from all over Chicagoland will compete for the title of best carrot cake in town, judged by a panel of celebrity media personalities including Ellen of The Ginger Files on Chicago Now, Julie Kemp Pick of JWC Media's Daily North Shore, Tina Johansson of The YOU Journal, and Joe Vince of Highland Park Patch. Carrot Cake Throwdown competitors include Alex's Washington Gardens, Baker Boys, Bent Fork Bakery, Foodstuffs Sunset Foods, Taste on Chestnut, returning champion Nothing Bundt Cakes, and amateur Highland Park dynamic-duo, Shari and Stephanie's Sensational Carrot Cake, to name a few. Winners will be announced at 4 p.m.
HOW TO BE A REDHEAD BOOKSIGNING, Saturday and Sunday 12 - 2 p.m.
Natural-born redheaded sisters and co-founders of HowtobeaRedhead.com, Stephanie and Adrienne Vendetti, will be bringing their redhead revolution to Redhead Days Chicago on Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 2 p.m. The dynamic duo will be empowering every redhead woman to feel confident, look amazing and rock their beauty as they give inspirational talks and sign their newly released book, How to be a Redhead®, the world's first beauty book for redheads.
As part of the 2016 "How to be a Redhead" book tour, sponsored by Paul Mitchell, future professionals from Paul Mitchell the School Chicago will be along side the Vendetti sisters, re-creating braid looks from the "How to be a Redhead" book, educating attendees on 'Redhead Friendly' Paul Mitchell products, and giving away goodie bags to the first 50 lucky book purchasers each day.
PHOTO OPS, Sunday June 5th 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Redhead stories and memories will be shared all weekend long, and on Sunday, Eric Decker Photography will be capturing unique ginger nation photos, including the family of the most redheads, ladies with the longest locks, the longest red beards, the reddest pets and many others.
Ronald McDonald, the world's most famous redhead, will be on site to take pictures with attendees on Sunday starting at 1 p.m. and be a part of the record breaking ginger gathering photo.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Highwood's Redhead Days Chicago Affiliate 2016 will run Saturday, June 4th from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday June 5th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to live music all weekend long and impromptu contests for kids, adults and pets, the following is a schedule of events:
Saturday, June 4th:
12-2 p.m. How to be a Redhead presentation and book signing
2-4 p.m. Carrot Cake Throwdown
6 p.m. Pub Crawl through downtown Highwood
Sunday, June 5th:
11 a.m. Nili Yelin, The Storybook Mom will be performing "red haired highlights" from Julianne Moore's Freckle Face Strawberry, Red Riding Hood and Pippi Longstocking
12-2 p.m. How to be a Redhead presentation and book signing
1 p.m. Photo op with Ronald McDonald, the world's most famous redhead
2 p.m. Record-breaking aerial drone group photo
Highwood's Redhead Days Chicago Affiliate is presented again by Alex's Washington Gardens along with Redhead Piano Bar. Others sponsors include 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey, Celtic Complexion, Maggie's Munchies, Miss Mary's Mix, Inc., The Playground Games, Van Gogh Vodka and Yelp! North Shore.
To stay up to date with the latest news on Highwood's Redhead Days, please LIKE www.facebook.com/RHDchicago or view Redhead Days official website at http://www.redheaddays.nl.
A HISTORY OF HIGHWOODS REDHEAD DAYS CHICAGO AFFILIATE
Jim Stoecker, Highwood's honorary redhead, event organizer and owner of Highwood's Alex's Washington Gardens, first came upon Redhead Days in 2012, while biking across Europe. He chanced upon the 7th Annual Redhead Days in Breda, Holland and dreamed of bringing it to Highwood to celebrate the love, kinship and immediate bond that all redheads share with one another.
The creator of the original Redhead Days in Breda, Holland, Bart Rouwenhorst predicted his event would "some day expand to multiple events, maybe across the world." As the first and only official U.S. affiliate of Redhead Days, Highwood is proud to have started this global community gathering in America.
Now in its 11th year, Redhead Days originated in 2005 in Breda, Holland and takes place in the beginning of September. It has participants from over 50 countries and 6 continents, including the United States, Africa, South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. It has gained such national notoriety that it includes affiliates now in London and Chicago. The fest has made news in BBC Magazine, and various other publications.