Even with parade canceled, this year's Alpine Fest will be bigger than last year's

The parade portion of the upcoming Alpine Fest put on by the Lake Zurich Lions Club has been canceled after many people who'd pledged to participate in the event dropped out over safety concerns.

A majority of groups and organizations pulled out, leaving just around 14 participants still willing to go, said head organizer Footloose Frank.

"We just didn't have enough people left to put on a parade," Frank said.

The Alpine Fest parade is one of many that have been scrapped in the wake of Monday's mass shooting at the Highland Park Independence Day parade.

Kyle Kordell, assistant to the village manager, said the village has been in discussions with the Lions Club throughout the week leading up to the decision to cancel the parade.

Kordell said the police department is reviewing the security plan for Alpine Fest and determined is too early to say whether there will be more officers assigned to provide security this year.

This year would have been the first parade at Alpine Fest since 2019.

Like many community festivals, Alpine Fest was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, just the carnival food, games and rides returned.

Frank, who has organized Alpine Fest since 1990, said this year tents for food, beer and live entertainment will return. He said the arrangements for live entertainment are still being sorted out.

"We're just hoping everyone can come out and join and support our club in order to allow us to give back to the less fortunate in our community," Frank said.

Proceeds from the event go toward programs for the blind and deaf.

Frank said this year's proceeds from hot dogs sold at the Lions Club food tent will fund a program to train leader dogs to aide people with blindness.

Alpine Fest will run from 6 p.m. to midnight on July 22, 1 p.m. to midnight on July 23, and 1 to 8 p.m. on July 24. Main Street will be closed to traffic from Friday afternoon until cleanup is completed Sunday night.