Buffalo Grove Days grows from steer roast to five-day festival
Buffalo Grove Days started small, with a steer roast in 1958. By 1961, it had grown to a block party with a parade and a barbecue. This summer, it will run for five days, with the help of 40 volunteers and the Buffalo Grove Public Works Department.
From Thursday, Aug. 29, through Monday, Sept. 2, the festivities will take over Mike Rylko Community Park, 951 McHenry Road. There's a carnival, three stages, a disc golf tournament, an art show, a dog show, a 5K/10K race, a duck race, a car show, a business fair and more.
Event co-chairwoman Paulette Greenberg said the planning for the event begins months before, in February.
"There are lots of moving parts to assemble," she said. They have to find appropriate entertainment and secure food tent vendors, retain a cash station company, even get ice for the ice machine.
This year, the festival will feature Indian, Japanese, Mexican and South American cuisines in addition to pizza, skirt steak sandwiches, hamburgers and hot dogs, shaved ice, lemonade, cake and ice cream.
"We take pride that our festival has a variety of different foods," Greenberg said. "The vendors are local businesses."
The weekend kicks off with Bingo at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, followed by a bags tournament at 7 p.m. The beer tent opens at 5 p.m. and the food tent and carnival open at 6 p.m.
On Friday, the food tent opens at 5 p.m. The beer tent stage features Piano Bar with Andrew Blenderman at 6:15 p.m. and Euphoria Band at 10:30 p.m. The main stage showcases Hutch at 7:30 p.m. and Boy Band Night at 9 p.m.
Saturday begins with the business fair at 11 a.m. and the fine arts and crafts show at noon. Kids' craft activities go from noon to 5 p.m. The beer tent and the food tent open at noon, and the carnival runs from 1-11 p.m. The BBQ Challenge goes from 1 to 5 p.m., while the baseball exhibition game starts at 4 p.m.
On the kids' stage, it's Jack the Magician from 1:30-2 p.m., followed by Margi Kanter Face painting from 2 to 5 p.m., Miss Jamie's Farm from 2:15 to 3 p.m. and Rock 'N Kids from 3:30 to 4 p.m. The beer tent stage features Six on Friday at 2:15 p.m., Robbie Gold at 3:45 p.m., Zydeco Voodoo at 5:30 p.m. and Six to Midnight at 10:30 p.m.
On the main stage, Buffalo Grove Park District's Performing Arts Highlights perform at 12:45 p.m., followed by Barefoot Hawaiians at 1:45 p.m., the Gingers at 7:30 p.m. and One Night of Queen at 9 p.m.
On Sunday, there's the Buffalo Grove Stampede 5K/10K race. The parade kicks off at 11 a.m. The not-for-profit showcase runs from noon until dusk. The business fair goes from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and kids' craft activities are from 1-5 p.m.
The kids' stage has Margi Kanter Face painting at 2 p.m., Dave's Traveling Reptile Show at 2:30 p.m., Jack the Magician at 3:30 p.m. and the Jason Kollum Juggling Show at 4:15 p.m. The beer tent stage hosts School of Rock at 3 p.m., Prairie Station at 4:30 p.m., the JB Jazz Quartet at 5:30 p.m. and There Goes the Neighborhood at 10:30 p.m.
On the main stage, it's Allegra Mexicana at 1:45 p.m., followed by the Total Impact Martial Arts demonstration at 2:15 p.m., Pospeshil Performing Arts at 2:30 p.m., Tainted Jake at 7:15 p.m. and Trippin Billies at 9 p.m.
Monday features a car show from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There's Food & Fun for Persons with Disabilities, when the carnival rides are slowed down and lunch and entertainment (a DJ, a magic show, sports team mascots) are provided for free.
The beer tent opens at noon and the carnival and food tent open at 12:30 p.m. On the kids' stage is face painting by Rinart from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. On the beer tent stage, the Stingrays go on at noon.
Publicity chairman Alan Danenberg said they expect to host 30,000 people over the course of five days.
"It's a great way to finish out the summer," Danenberg said. "Unlike some of the other community fests in the area, Buffalo Grove Days is free."
Greenberg said they work hard to make sure all the parts of the festival turn out perfect.
"When the lights go on the carnival rides and the music on the stage is playing, then I settle back and enjoy the weekend," she said.
Buffalo Grove Days
What: Buffalo Grove Days festival
When: Carnival from 6 to 10 p.m. and beer tent from 5 to 11 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29; 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, Aug. 30; 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 31-Sept. 1; 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2. Parade at 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 1. “Food and Fun” program for residents with disabilities at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 2.
Where: Mike Rylko Park, 951 McHenry Road, Buffalo Grove
Admission: Free
Details: