Palatine's Street Fest will be back starting Friday

The Downtown Palatine Street Fest will be back this weekend, and village officials say they are happy and excited about it.

"It has been quite a challenge to plan for it with all the uncertainty, but it has all come together," Village Manager Reid Ottesen said.

Susan Storelli, the village's communication and events coordinator, agreed. "This is a great community event that draws people to downtown Palatine and we're happy to be back," she said.

The festival, which was put on hold last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will take place at Brockway and Slade streets in downtown Palatine. Hours are 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The designated ride-share pickup and drop-off site is at the Palatine Metra station, 137 W. Wood St.

The musical lineup includes: Southern Accents, Who's Who and Bucket Number 6 on Friday; Hairbangers Ball, Modern Day Romeos, How Rude, Murley, Burnt Biscuits, Kevin Mileski and Nothing Personal on Saturday; and Mr. Blotto, Fletcher Rockwell, Wall of Denial and The Centaurs on Sunday.

There will be food from area restaurants, including Bendita Cocina, Brothers' Ribs, Tre Amici Pizza, Rep's, Salsa Street and Sweet C's.

This year, there will be no additional activities and no Kid Zone area in Town Square. The changes were due to the uncertainties of the pandemic and will create more space for social distancing, Storelli and Ottesen said. Also, children are not yet eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, Ottesen noted.

No backpacks, coolers or pets will be allowed, and there will be hand sanitizing stations available.

"We hope that those who are comfortable coming out to the event have a great time and enjoy our downtown," Ottesen said.