McHenry asks county GOP to find a new gathering place for Trump caravan as park booked for festival

McHenry city officials were surprised when they read news reports Tuesday that Petersen Park was set as a meetup point Sunday to caravan to the Trump Now-Save the American Dream Rally in Woodstock.

Petersen Park is playing host to the annual Bands, Brews & BBQ event this weekend, with its largest day expected on Sunday, McHenry Deputy Chief Tom Walsh said. It could see even larger crowds later in the day, as McHenry’s community fireworks show is due to take place at the park after being was postponed because of poor weather during Fiesta Days in July.

In social media posts and emails, organizers of the rally – in support of former President Donald Trump and other Republican candidates on the ballot in November, and held on the eve of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago – encouraged GOP faithful to meet up beginning at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at McHenry’s Petersen Park and convoy at 11:30 a.m. to the McHenry County Fairgrounds in Woodstock. Caravans of supporters are also expected to descend on Woodstock from various meetup spots across the Chicago region and in DeKalb.

The gates for Bands, Brews and BBQ are set to open at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, McHenry Area Rotary President Diana Mark said. Vendors, the band and others will be setting up before then will be in and out of the parking area earlier, Mark said.

Following inquiries from the Northwest Herald, organizers of the pro-Trump rally distributed a new flier saying the McHenry meetup would instead be at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at Althoff Park. The event’s website, paradingfortrump.com, still listed Petersen Park as of Tuesday evening, however.

Prior to the location change, Walsh had said: “I am concerned about space. I don’t know details about where they are meeting up” or whether cars will be left at the Petersen lot during the day. “We can’t have this conflict in the parking lot,” he said.

McHenry Chief of Police John Birk asked Walsh to reach out to the Trump event organizers.

The rally is set for 12:30 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Fairgrounds, 11900 Country Club Road, Woodstock. Organizers did not need a temporary use permit for the rally, as the fairground is exempt from the permit process, Alicia Schueller, director of public affairs for McHenry County. Food and liquor licenses have been secured for the event.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office has asked Woodstock Police for additional support during the rally, City Manager Roscoe Stelford said Tuesday.

That’s not unusual for large events, Stelford said, adding that two Woodstock police officers are helping at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next week. Those same two officers also aided with the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Stelford said.

Reporter Claire O’Brien contributed.