Libertyville Days canceled, and public pools won't open
The long-running Libertyville Days festival, a symbolic start of summer for the community, has become one of the latest events to be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Roaring into the '20s" was the planned theme of the four-day event this year. But in the interest of safety and in keeping with expert recommendations, organizers pulled the plug and are looking to 2021.
It's not the only cancellation in town to date. The Memorial Day parade and program will be held virtually, for example, and on Tuesday, the village announced that public pools at Adler and Riverside parks will be closed this season.
Other summer recreational programming will be limited and may include smaller group camps with social distancing measures. The cavernous Libertyville Sports Complex will remain closed until a safe environment can be maintained, according to the village.
As for other activities, some of MainStreet Libertyville's popular offerings, including the 40th annual farmers market, set to debut June 4, Car Fun on 21, and Lunch in the Park, are expected to proceed under modified rules.
There had been hope to proceed with Libertyville Days, the Libertyville Civic Center Foundation's annual fundraiser, from June 18-21. But the coronavirus did not relent as originally hoped.
After approval to use village property and resources was withdrawn, organizers were left with no other option.
"We talked with the carnival company to see if they had any availability in the fall and they did not," said Anne Carlino, executive director of the Civic Center Foundation.
In the early 1950s, the festival was known as the Firemen's Festival and later as Frontier Days. By the late 1960s, Libertyville Days became the name that stuck. The popular festival includes a parade featuring a variety of bands and oversized balloon figures.
The not-for-profit Civic Center Foundation was established in 1998 and began overseeing the festival as its annual - and only - fundraiser. Libertyville Days brings in about $35,000 to $50,000 for the organization, according to Carlino.
"We do need it for upkeep of the building and programming for the senior center, which the Civic Center oversees," she said.
The village-owned Civic Center building is a former post office built in 1935 at 135 W. Church St., across from Cook Park, a downtown community gathering place.
It offers affordable rental space for meetings, banquets and parties, and is home to the Senior Center.
"May is one of our very busiest months. We have a lot of graduation parties, confirmations," and other events, Carlino said. "April alone in cancellations was $25,000 in lost revenue."
Part of the losses are offset by a forgivable $52,000 loan from the federal Paycheck Protection Program included in the COVID-19 stimulus.
Carlino said the Civic Center is gearing up to open June 1 with modified guidelines on rentals and activities, but is playing it by ear.