Entertainment, food big draws at Elburn Days

The rising star of 7th Heaven, which opened recently for Bon Jovi and Kid Rock at Soldier Field, will undoubtedly keep this band rocking through the night when it performs Sunday on the Elburn Days main stage.

Like all the bands in the exciting lineup this year, this performance is free and open to the public. All you have to do is come to Elburn.

This is the 81st annual Elburn Days, sponsored each year by the Elburn Lions Club.

"We're the largest Lions Club in Illinois," said member Al Lee, one of the chairs of the Beer Garden committee, for this event.

The festival starts at 8 a.m. Friday, Aug. 20 with a sidewalk sale, flea market, and the 4-H livestock weigh-in, but it's the annual Elburn Days parade that really kicks off this event.

Starting at 6 p.m. Friday, come see bands, floats, fire engines, antique cars, clowns, and more, as well as Ronald McDonald, who will entertain children as he rides in his own truck.

The parade, with the theme "The Magic of Elburn," will begin at Reader Street and proceed southbound through on Route 47.

Food vendors will also open at 6 p.m. with a wide variety of treats, from Pancho's Mexican Food, Bev's Popcorn, barbecue, cheeseburgers, homemade pies and more. Be sure to stop by the Elburn Lions beef stand. And on Sunday, the Lions will also prepare their famous grilled pork chops and barbecue chicken dinners (limit of 500 dinners).

Endless entertainment is at the heart of this annual festival, with live music by He Said, She Said, local band Back Country Roads, HiFi Superstars, Lounge Puppets, Chasing the Day, and more.

The ever-popular Community Stage will feature local dance and theater performances, the "Elburn Idol" Contest, Ronald McDonald, free dance classes for kids, a Hula Hoop contest, and even an ice cream eating contest.

The "Elburn Idol" finalist competition will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21. The junior winner will sing on the main stage, opening for HiFi Superstars, at 3:30 p.m. The adult "Elburn Idol" winner will open at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, for 7th Heaven.

And that's not all. There's the truck and tractor pull on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Hobbytown USA Point Series Race, where you can sign up to race and/or bash and trash your vehicle, will be held Saturday. Bingo games, the annual Fun Run, and even more, will be offered throughout the weekend.

Don't forget to check out the carnival, with its special reduced-price rides during "Midway Madness," from noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21.

The messy but popular mud volleyball tournament returns for the second time, this year, at noon on Sunday.

This festival will also include the 4-H livestock show and auction, with judging at 8 a.m. Saturday and the auction at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Each year, it's the volunteers who make this event a success.

"This is our biggest event. It takes about all our volunteers; we have 170 right now," said Lee, who credits the commitments by Lions members, their supportive families, and volunteers from the community as well, for making this all possible.

Proceeds from this event will be donated to the Elburn Lions charities, including glaucoma screening, guide dogs, programs aiding the visually and hearing-impaired, and juvenile diabetes research. This event also helps keep the Lions Club and Lions Park - a boon for the town of Elburn, which has no park district - going strong.

"For us, this benefits a multitude of things," said Lee. "We give four scholarships a year, we donate to the food pantry, and we gave $20,000 over the past three years to Sight First II."

Elburn Lion's also donates through out the year to the Delnor Foundation and the Living Well Cancer Resource Center; to needy children and families in Kaneland; and to Camp Lions, a summer camp program for children who are hard of hearing or visually impaired.

"We are locally focused, internationally committed," said Lee.

A full schedule with event listings can be found at elburnlions.com.

If you goWhat: 81st annual Elburn Days festivalWhen: Friday through Sunday, Aug. 20 - 22Where: Elburn Lions Park, 500 Filmore St., Elburn; between South and Stetzer streets on the west side of Route 47, one mile south of Route 38, just north of Keslinger Road.Admission: Free, but tickets must be purchased for carnival ridesParking: $2 donation per vehicleDetails: elburnlions.com; (630) 365-6315True17272000Kids enjoy a carnival ride at last year's Elburn Days festival.Brian Hill | Staff Photographer, 2009True