Bring the family for Vernon Hills Summer Celebration
Kicking off the party with live music and fireworks, Vernon Hills will present its Summer Celebration starting Thursday, July 16.
The festival, held at Century Park, 1001 Lakeview Parkway, Vernon Hills, will run through Sunday, July 19. The four-day schedule is packed with a range of activities such as carnival rides, musical performances, a car and bike show, bingo and more. The grounds will be open from 6-10 p.m. Thursday, 6-11 p.m. Friday, 1-11 p.m. Saturday and 1-7 p.m. Sunday.
Each year, a small committee of volunteers works year-round to plan the large celebration that occurs midsummer.
This year's festival features an entertainment lineup filled with several local and award-winning performers. Bella Cain, a country music band that has performed alongside acts such as Miranda Lambert and Luke Bryan, will perform at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 18. The group will deliver a state-of-the-art laser light show along with their music.
Lonestar will follow Bella Cain as the weekend's headliner at 9 p.m. This country quartet has sold millions of albums over the past two decades and will be performing in honor of their 20th anniversary.
When an attendee isn't listening to live music, they are free to stop by the festival's second annual Car and Bike Show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, July 19, on Center Street in Vernon Hills. The exhibit will showcase unique cars and bikes for people to view.
Fireworks are planned for 9:15 p.m. Thursday. Food vendors will be providing cuisine during the festival.
Throughout the weekend, there will be a kid's corner with face-painting, balloon artists and free crafts. On Sunday, children will have the chance to interact with their favorite animals in a petting zoo. They will also have a chance to compete and test out their knowledge in an interactive game show.
Adults will have the opportunity to test out the local competition in a bags tournament Sunday. Teams of two can play against each other.
Admission to the grounds and concerts is free. Wristbands can be purchased to access carnival rides. The cost of a wristband is $25 Thursday and from 1-5 p.m. Saturday, and $30 Friday and Sunday and 6-10 p.m. Saturday; individual tickets can be purchased for $1 each or 44 for $40.
For details, visit www.summercel.com.