Naperville Salute offers family fun, music, fireworks
The Naperville Salute on July 2-3 will blend community, local entertainment, family fun and a fireworks extravaganza.
This family-friendly Independence Day hometown celebration is centered around an appreciation for veterans, active military, first responders, and their families.
It will be from 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, around Rotary Hill along the Riverwalk and downtown Naperville.
On Friday, the Rob Post Band, playing classic rock, will kick off the musical entertainment from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m., followed by The Starboards, a yacht rock cover band, from 6 to 7:45 p.m.
After the playing of the national anthem, Catfight, Chicago-based all-girl cover band, will perform at 8 p.m.
On Saturday, July 3, Convoy, a 20th-century swamp rock band, will open from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. Country music singer and songwriter Eric Chesser will perform from 6 to 7:45 p.m.
After the national anthem, Mike & Joe, a modern rock cover band, will perform at 8 p.m.
There also will be special appearances by local music groups and the DuPage Chorus.
General admission to Rotary Hill each night is $15. Kids 12 or younger are free with paying adult. Tickets are available at www.napervillesalute.org. When purchasing online tickets, don't forget to print out your tickets or save to your mobile device.
Veterans and active military are admitted free.
VIP tickets for $100 includes entry to the Friday or Saturday event and entrance to the VIP/Sponsors area. The ticket includes one meal and limited number of beverages.
On Saturday, July 3, bring the family to Rotary Hill for fun activities from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This free event is first come, first served, and tickets are not required. The family friendly entertainment includes: Midwest Fun Factory with face painting, balloon animals, and patriotic tattoos; Crosstown Exotics with a reptile exhibit; Safety Town; Gogo Squeeze; Makery Studios; Americana Craft Area; and more. Also featured will be the “Within Thin Lines” veterans podcast and Kathleen Kincanon Nosek on her book, “My Darling,” which tells her parents' love story based on the many wartime love letters her Dad wrote to her Mom from 1942-1945.
The Independence Day fireworks will begin at dusk Sunday, July 4, at Frontier Park, 3380 Cedar Glade Drive in south Naperville. Admission to Frontier Park is free. Tune into 95.9 The River during the fireworks or watch live on NCTV17.
For an upgraded fireworks viewing experience at Frontier Park July 4, The Salute is offering its Fireworks Tailgate.
Bring your lawn chairs and blankets; the Salute provides the party with access to food and beverages (beer, canned premium beverages, and water/soda). This is perfect for any large group or business to gather together and enjoy Independence Day evening. Interested parties can email Sponsorships@NapervilleSalute.com for details.
The Naperville Salute Committee is monitoring all COVID-19 guidelines and safety is the top priority. The Salute wishes to welcome the community for a fun-filled Independence Day Weekend, however the COVID-19 landscape is changing daily. The Salute will be taking all necessary COVID-19 safety precautions as recommended by local health officials, the state of Illinois and Centers for Disease Control. These include but are not limited to mandates regarding social distancing, mask wearing, capacity limits and more. Guidelines and protocols are subject to change without advance notice.
Naperville Responds For Veterans assists veterans and their families in need, especially those with low and moderate income, by raising donations of money, building materials, and professional labor, and coordinating the process of repairing, building, and donating homes. Naperville Responds For Veterans is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization that provides services to veterans in need and those in crisis. Visit www.napervilleresponds.org or www.facebook.com/napervilleresponds/.