Jaycees Hometown Fest is now Palatine tradition
In 1957, the Palatine Jaycees partnered with the village and park district to host Palatine's first Hometown Fest. The Fourth of July celebration consisted of carnival rides, fireworks and nightly music.
Sixty-two years later, the tradition lives on.
Led by co-chairmen John Healey and Jay Nagle, this year's Hometown Fest will open at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, and run noon to midnight daily, closing at 5 p.m. Sunday, July 7, at Community Park, 250 E. Wood St. General admission is free.
The five-day festival will feature carnival rides, food and beverages, a craft and vendor show, music, bingo and fireworks. Visit palatinejaycees.org/hometown-fest/ for a complete schedule.
“The festival gives everybody a chance to come out, meet their neighbors and spend time with friends,” Healey said. “It's a great time to get the family together, too.”
The festival will kick off with its Special Needs Carnival from 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, providing a fun experience for people requiring special accommodations. The regular carnival opens at 5 p.m. featuring rides such as a Ferris wheel, a zombie house and merry-go-round.
The fest will also feature live music each night. Its lineup includes Chicago area bands American English, Hairbangers Ball, Wedding Banned and Mike & Joe.
“A lot of the bands have played at the fest in the past, and people really seemed to like them,” Healey said.
The fireworks display will return to the fest at dusk Friday, July 5, followed by the annual parade at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 6. The parade will step off from Slade and Cedar streets featuring more than 70 units.
This year's fest will introduce a new activity: a scavenger hunt. Teams of up to four adults, ages 21 and older, can register by downloading an app at the membership booth. The scavenger hunt will reward teams with cash prizes for checking in at various locations, such as carnival rides and food stands.
“It's really exciting,” volunteer Brandon Parrott-Sheffer said. “You can literally win prizes for just being at the fest.”
Parrott-Sheffer is a member of the Palatine Jaycees, the award-winning organization in charge of the event. The Palatine Jaycees describe themselves as a civic organization that provides adults ages 21-40 with opportunities to develop leadership skills through community service.
As a Palatine-based organization, their location allows the Hometown Fest to stand out from other Fourth of July events, Parrott-Sheffer said.
“It's entirely put on by the community - the people who know what's great about Palatine,” Parrott-Sheffer said.
The Jaycees hope to see many new and familiar faces at this year's Hometown Fest.
“I've been coming to this fest ever since I was a kid,” he said. “Every year just brings something new. Guests should check out as many parts of the fest as they can to get the full experience.”
Palatine Jaycees Hometown Fest
When: 5 p.m. to midnight Wednesday; noon to midnight Thursday; Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 3-7
Where: Community Park, 250 Wood St., Palatine
Admission: Free
Details: Call (847) 604-0288; email info@palatinejaycees.org; or visit palatinejaycees.org/hometown-fest