Villa Park Summerfest celebrates 10 years of family fun

VILLA PARK – Villa Park residents can look forward to food, beer, live music and a wrestling show at the 10th annual Summerfest, which runs June 19 and 20 at Ardmore Avenue and Park Boulevard.

“People get excited about this every year," said Dan Dix, Summerfest commissioner. “It’s close to home, and it’s a great time to hang out with neighbors, family and friends.”

The North American Pro Wrestling Team will be back at this year’s fest for three matches June 20. Mike Gats, chairman of the Summerfest commission, said the group was very popular last year, especially with kids.

“They just really loved it and were entertained by it. I thought it was very interesting,” Gats said.

Live music also is a big part of the festival, he said. The band Six to Midnight will headline June 19’s entertainment. The band covers classic rock and current hits, as well as some country.

“They were here last year and were very popular. They play a variety of songs, and a lot of people dance,” Gats said.

In addition to the music, residents can enjoy a free car show from 6 to 10 p.m. June 19. Residents and local car clubs show a variety of cars, including hot rods, classic cars and antique cars, Gats said. There also is a bags tournament that begins at 6 p.m. that day.

June 20 will feature an entire day of entertainment beginning at 11 a.m. with appearances from local groups and clubs, including Villa Park residents Caitlyn and Meghan Foley, who play acoustic guitar. The headliner is Soul to Soul, which plays 70s and 80s rock, Dix said.

While enjoying the live music, adults can visit the beer tent or sample the fare of several local restaurants. There will be about six or seven vendors there, including Taco Real, Tae Fu Chinese and Fire Water BBQ, Gats said.

“We want to have a variety of food, but we don’t have too many vendors because we don’t want anything duplicated,” he said. “We also want our vendors to be successful. They usually do well. Some have been with us for years.”

Summerfest also will offer a variety of activities for kids all day June 20. Some of the free events include a martial arts demonstration from Joe’s Dojo, a balloon artist, a live reptile show, a magic show and face painting. Kids will need tickets, or an all-day wristband that’s available for $10, to attend certain attractions or games.

“We have a duck pond with prizes for the little ones, as well as Midway games with prizes and a variety of inflatables,” Gats said. “For the older kids, we have Euro Bungy, where kids are harnessed and can jump. That’s always popular. We’ll also have a 70-foot-long zip line and a 40-foot-tall rock climbing wall.”

Also returning this year is the arts and crafts show June 20, with a variety of crafters, including a taxidermist.

“Last year (the taxidermist) did really well,” Dix said. “We’re having a psychic this year, which is new. But there will be jewelers, glass makers, birdhouses, lawn art. The craft show is very popular with the public. People like to look at things they can’t find in a big-box store.”

Between 40 and 50 people from various community groups and organizations volunteer for Summerfest. Dix said the volunteers are “very important” to the event.

“If we didn’t have volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to hold Summerfest,” he said. “We count on them quite a bit.”

Gats said he’s looking forward to Summerfest, which he described as “a big block party for the community.”

“We want to involve all residents and offer a variety of activities so everyone can enjoy it, while keeping costs affordable,” he said.

---

Know more

For information about Summerfest, including a full schedule of events, visit villaparksummerfest.com.