Plans for Joliet Star Wars Day announced

The Joliet Public Library on Tuesday announced details for Star Wars Day.

The 11th annual Star Wars Day is June 4 in downtown Joliet.

It will be the first Star Wars Day since 2019, when the event was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and is the Star Wars Day that almost wasn’t. The library, which organizes the event, had announced in December it was calling it off for good only to reverse itself after a public outcry over the decision.

Past Star Wars Days have attracted as many as 10,000 people. The event draws people from throughout the Chicago region and has gained national recognition.

On Tuesday the library provided details of this year’s event in a news release, describing Star Wars Day as “a family friendly festival of galactic proportions complete with over 100 costumed Star Wars™ characters, games, live music, exhibits, and more.”

There is no charge for attendance.

Star Wars Day will include familiar elements of past Star Wars Days, including the opening parade featuring an array of Star Wars characters.

There are a few changes, including the parade route, which will be along Chicago Street this year instead of Ottawa Street.

The event will start at 11 a.m. with a parade of costumed characters led by the Joliet West High School marching band. The parade will start at the Will County Office Building, 302 N. Chicago St., and move south on Chicago Street to Clinton Street where it will turn west to end on the front lawn of the downtown library building.

The library will host Artist Alley, which will feature Star Wars artists, in the Ottawa Street lobby on the first floor. Most of the library will be inaccessible to the public due to a remodeling of the library that is taking place.

Merchandise vendors will be at the Renaissance Center, 214 N. Ottawa St., and the Joliet Area Historical Museum will participate in the event. The Renaissance Center is a new partner in the event, said library spokeswoman Mallory Hewlett.

The event will shut down a portion of Chicago Street including the Library’s parking lot, and a portion of Clinton Street for the day’s activities, including food vendors and live music. Parking is available at both the Ottawa Street and Clinton Street parking garages.

The band Sundance will perform from noon to 3 pm at a main stage on the corner of Clinton and Ottawa Streets.

Portions of Chicago and Clinton street around the library will be closed for the activities, including vendors and live music. The library parking lot will be closed. Parking will be available at parking garages on Ottawa and Scott streets.

The library listed partners in the event, which include the city of Joliet, Joliet City Center Partnership, Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitors Bureau, 501st Legion, Joliet Slammers, Illinois Rock and Roll Museum and Joliet Area Historical Museum.

Sponsors are the Friends of the Joliet Public Library, Joliet Township Government and TBS (Today’s Business Solutions).

More information is available at https://jolietlibrary.org/en/star-wars-day.