'Fantastic': Buffalo Grove Days Parade returns to rave reviews

The Buffalo Grove Days Parade returned Sunday after a three-year hiatus, with nearly 70 entries marching a new route along Buffalo Grove Road.

Village President Eric Smith was delighted to see the parade back as a highlight of the five-day festival.

“To see the participation of all the community members and all the floats that we have out is fantastic,” he said. “It's nice to see, it's been a rough couple of years for people and it's nice for everybody to come out as a community and just enjoy, have a good time.”

Among the entries was a Buffalo Grove Park District float, designed by Tony Vraniak, a mechanic for the district.

“I think it reflects on the park district that, us together, as a community and everyone here, we take a great pride in bringing every aspect to the community to make the community really shine,” said Vraniak, a Buffalo Grove native and member of Buffalo Grove High School's Class of 1988.

Wowing parade spectators was Tony Abasolo of West Chicago, who went horizontal on a bicycle as part of the Flat 43 BMX stunt riders.

“It's a trick I learned (when) I was 18 and that was over 30 years ago,” he said.

Former Village President Beverly Sussman served as the grand marshal.

“I take it as a tremendous honor,” she said.