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Lincolnwood’s annual festival draws hundreds of fun seekers
Rachel Lin-Peistrup (left) and Olivia Kennedy enjoy a cold treat at the Lincolnwodo Festival. | Natalie Hayes~For Sun-Times Media
Updated: September 10, 2012 1:25PM
LINCOLNWOOD — Proesel Park was abuzz for four days with hundreds of fest-goers who flocked to the annual 2012 Lincolnwood Festival Aug. 2-5 to enjoy carnival rides, local cuisine, games and entertainment for the whole family.
The fun was interrupted briefly Saturday afternoon when thunderstorm warnings compelled festival officials to evacuate the park for two hours, but the festival reopened at 5 p.m., according to Barb Faermark, a member of the Friends of the Lincolnwood Community Center, the committee responsible for organizing the event.
“Thanks to the help of the police and fire departments, everyone evacuated in an orderly fashion,” Faermark said. “Our number one concern is always the safety of all our guests.”
Fest-goers who returned to the festival after the storms passed Saturday didn’t miss a beat of musical performances by Chicago-based rock-and-roll band “Soul Patch Monkey” and Pink Floyd cover band “Think Floyd,” who rocked out on the stage of the hospitality tent.
Other bands that had the crowds bopping to the beats over the four-day festival included British cover band “The Meteors,” Marlon Longid, “Tributosaurus,” and on Sunday Santana tribute band “Rico” and Rolling Stones cover band “Hot Rocks” rounded out the fest.
Always a staple at the Lincolnwood Fest, the bingo tent hosted by the Lincolnwood American Legion Post 1226 was filled with people of all ages throughout the weekend.
On Sunday afternoon the car show featured vintage cars from 1987 or older. Proud car owners showed off their classic cars and talked with passersby who stopped to ogle the shiny autos while “Flash Back ’50s DJ Tony Adelfio played tunes from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.
For the first time ever, this year’s festival featured a wrestling show Saturday afternoon that included 20 male and female pro wrestlers who grappled for a large crowd of spectators.
“The professional wresting was an enormous hit — it was probably the biggest thing at the festival,” Faermark said. “It was an amazing show.”
There also was plenty of entertainment for children, including face painting and games provided by the Lincolnwood Park District, a mechanical bull ride, traditional carnival rides and a pancake breakfast hosted by the Lincolnwood Baseball Association Sunday morning.
Of course, a summer festival wouldn’t be complete without a mouth-watering assortment of delicious foods to complement a warm summer day.
In addition to the offering of such traditional carnival foods as funnel cakes and snow cones, festival guests enjoyed local fare provided by The Village Inn Sports Pizzeria Sports Bar and Grill, Myron and Phil’s, Grecian Kitchen, Lee’s Concessions, Aztecas Mex Taqueria and Windsor Ice Cream.
Faermark said the 13 people on the festival’s planning committee (led by Faermark, Mark Freedman and Randy Miles) spend all year planning for the festival and hold their first meetings in January each year.
“We’re always talking about what we can improve on and what we can do better each year,” Faermark said. “It’s a lot of work, but when you walk around and see all the families having a great time, it’s all worth it.”
All proceeds from the Lincolnwood Festival go to support the community center and the Parks and Recreation Department.
