Glendale Heights Fest to feature four days of music, capping off with fireworks on the final night
Over a dozen musical groups will be taking the stage during the four-day Glendale Heights Fest on July 11-14. There also will be carnival rides, games, and food, as well as the popular fireworks show on the final night.
Festival hours are: 4 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, 2 to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 2 to 10 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free to the festival grounds at Camera Park, 101 E. Fullerton Ave.
Music stage
On Thursday, the tribute band Bad Enough will open the festival stage, playing the hits from Bad Company, Paul Rogers, and Free at 4:30 p.m. They will be followed by the Scorpions cover band Big City Nights at 6 p.m. The headliner, Kashmir, will take the stage with their Led Zeppelin tribute at 8:30 p.m.
Opening on Friday at 4:30 p.m. will be Prairie Station playing covers of today’s hit country music as well as the classics. They will be followed by Chicago Rockhouse mixing some classic rock gems, along with some more interesting deep cuts at 6:30 p.m. The Keith Semple Band will headline Friday, taking the stage at 9 p.m.
On Saturday, fest favorites Dina & Mike, featuring Dina Bach on keyboard/vocals and Mike Charbonneau on electronic drums/percussion, will open the music stage at 2:30 p.m. At 4:30 p.m., Guitarra Azul will combine Latin percussion and fiery Spanish guitars.
The Voodoo Dolls, a suburban teen band that plays everything from indie rock to grunge, pop to country, will be the opening act at 6:30 p.m., followed by the festival favorite Hi Infidelity at 8:30 p.m.
The Moods will bring their smooth sound to open the final day of the festival at 3 p.m. Sunday. Before Hillbilly Rockstarz take the stage at 5 p.m., join in a line dancing class at 4:30 p.m.
Fireworks
Before the fireworks show at 9:30 p.m., the popular rock band 7th heaven will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
With crowds over 15,000 expected to head to Camera Park for the display, parking lots fill up fast starting early in the day so arrive early to grab a good seat.
Fullerton Avenue will be closed between President Street and Bloomingdale Road on Sunday from 7 to 11 p.m. Vehicles in the parking lots along Fullerton Avenue will not be allowed to exit until the roadways are clear of pedestrian traffic.
New this year
Patrons at this year’s Glendale Heights Fest will experience a big change when it comes to purchasing ride tickets. There will be kiosks, located just inside of the main entrance on Fullerton Avenue, with a second kiosk positioned on the opposite side of the festival grounds.
Buy credits which will be loaded onto a ride card. You can reload your card at any time the carnival is open.
Kiosks will accept cash, credit or debit cards, and will give you change back. Patrons also can get instructions for using the kiosk in either Spanish or English.
The carnival will be open 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 2 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Want unlimited rides? Get a wristband good for one day, or get a Mega Pass to ride all four days.
Purchase a carnival wristband before opening day for $25 or $30 during the fest. Advanced daily presale wristband vouchers are available at Glendale Heights Village Hall, 300 Civic Centre Plaza; Linda Jackson Center for Senior Citizens, 260 Civic Centre Plaza; or the Sports Hub, 250 Civic Center Plaza. The Mega Pass for $75 is only available at the Sports Hub.
Food vendors
There will be an array of food vendors, offering barbecue, hamburgers, pizza, gyros, burritos, tacos, fries, and more. Looking for something sweet? Pick from ice cream, churros, funnel cakes, and more.
Food vendors include: Antojitos Mexicanas Landa; Blackhawk BBQ & Seafood; Daisy's Ice Cream; Dark Horse Grill; Doggie Diner Concessions; Gaby's Funnel Cakes; Genoa Italian Concession; Kona Ice; Mr. Tacomex Grill; My Cocina; Norma's Tacos; Panchos Taqueria; Papa Frescos; Suzie's Fun Foods; Taco Gyro; and Windsor Ice Cream Shoppe.
Glendale Heights Fest
When: 4 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, July 11; 4 to 11 p.m. Friday, July 12; 2 to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 13; and 2 to 10 p.m. Sunday, July 14
Where: Camera Park, 101 E. Fullerton Ave., Glendale Heights
Admission: Entrance to the fest area is free. Parking is available on-site every day for a free, but plan ahead as the parking lot tends to fill up quickly. Additional parking is available around town and only a short walk to Camera Park.