January 07, 2025
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Following canceled carnival, Lake in the Hills set to vote on changes to approval process

Public property carnivals currently have more stringent approval

By Claire O'Brien
A carnival in Lake in the Hills was closed down Saturday evening after “a significant number of unchaperoned teenagers” showed up, organizers said. The spring carnival at Randall and Algonquin roads was supposed to operate until 10 p.m. Saturday, but by 8 p.m. the At Home parking lot was empty and the rides motionless following what witnesses said was a large police presence.

A carnival in Lake in the Hills was closed down in April after “a significant number of unchaperoned teenagers” showed up, organizers said. The carnival would have to go through the same approval process as bigger public events like Rib Fest under a proposed change the village board will consider. (Michelle Meyer)

Lake in the Hills soon could have the same approval process for carnivals on private and public property.

The proposed change comes after a carnival held on private property in a business parking lot in April was shut down by the police because of teens fighting. The Village Board also approved a mask ban at Rib Fest earlier this month, but Village President Ray Bogdanowski said after the vote that the ban is not targeting health masks.

Although the Village Board has to sign off on all carnivals, those held on private property have had less stringent standards for approval than ones on public property, according to village records.

According to the current policies, a public property carnival has a more comprehensive permit application process and has to include information on sound systems, alcohol and insurance coverage, among other things.

That system has “served the village well for the review and approval of large events in village parks, such as the annual Summer Sunset Festival and Rockin’ Rib Fest,” according to village documents.

A private property carnival has gone through a different permitting process. It has to have a site plan, description and time frame of the event; “sufficient information to determine that yard requirements, sanitary facilities, vehicle and pedestrian access, signage and parking spaces are adequately provided for;” and other information the community development department needs.

All carnivals and circuses in town, regardless of whether they are held on public or private property, would have to go through the same process as public property carnivals if the Village Board votes Thursday to require it.

Under the changes, rallies and speeches with more than 100 people in attendance would need to go through the same channels as carnivals. But something such as a graduation party held at a residence that is not trying to generate a profit would not have to go through the more strict permitting process, even if it has more than 100 people.

Bogdanowski said the changes are “ones we’ve been working on for a while,” and they would put everyone on “the same playing field.”

Bogdanowski said the proposal was not directly tied to the April carnival or other events, but the village tries to “fine-tune the process” as people ask for approval for special events.

The board is scheduled to vote on the changes Thursday night.

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