HIGHWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTS 44th ANNUAL HIGHWOOD FESTIVAL DAYS: FOOD, MUSIC, RIDES, PRIZES, AND A SPECIAL 125TH ANNIVERSARY PARADE!

The Highwood Chamber of Commerce will host its 44th Annual Highwood Festival Days Thursday, July 26th through Sunday, July 29th in the Metra Parking Lot, Downtown Highwood. The four-day family-friendly extravaganza will include carnival rides and games, local food vendors, drinks, live music, raffle prizes, and more! This year marks a special occasion for Festival Days, as the City of Highwood celebrates its 125th anniversary. In commemoration, a grand parade with a classic old-time feel of Highwood will march through the streets of Downtown, kicking off at noon on Sunday.

“We have a great lineup of entertainment every night and it will be a lot of fun for the entire family,” says

We’re having food booths, entertainment, rides, a beer and wine tent, and we’re bringing back the old fashioned Highwood Days with the parade. The Festival will bring together people of all ages, reminiscing of the days of Highwood past. It is the longest running festival around!”

The grand parade will begin at noon Sunday, from the corner of Clay and Sheridan Road and travel south on Sheridan to Bloom, turn west on Bloom, under the viaduct to Green Bay Rd., travel north on Green Bay to Highwood Avenue, go west on Highwood, ending in the Library parking lot. “We are so excited to bring the parade back to Highwood Festival Days, and look forward to everyone lining the streets to cheer on the parade participants along the route,” says Innocenzi.

Highwood Festival Days will also feature a daily lineup of the best in musical entertainment with big name performers including:

 Thursday, July 26 from 7-10:30pm - Billy Croft and the 5 Alarm (http://www.billycroft.com/),  Friday, July 27 from 7:30-11:30pm - 8 Miles South (http://8milessouth.com/),  Saturday, July 28 from 4:30-7:30pm - Charlie Love and from 8:30-11:30pm - The Rockin’

Fenderskirts (http://www.therockinfenderskirts.com/) ,  Sunday, July 29 from 12:30-2:00pm - a special musical tribute to local Highland Park

musician, John Juul who recently passed, and  Sunday, July 29 from 3-5pm - Jose Valdes (http://www.valdesmusic.com/JoseValdesSolo.htm)

and closing out the carnival, from 6-9pm - Spoken Four (http://www.spokenfour.com/).

Highwood Festival Days will be raffling off a 2012 red Vespa Scooter and three cash prizes of $500, $200 and $100 on Sunday at 8pm. Winner need not be present. Raffle tickets are available for $5 or 5 for $20 at Highwood’s Evening Gourmet Farmers Market, Wednesdays 4-9pm at Everts Park, or at

Lenny Innocenzi, Chamber of Commerce member and owner of Buffo’s Italian Restaurant in

Highwood. “local businesses including: Buffo’s (http://www.buffos.com/), The Toadstool Pub (http://www.toadstoolpub.com/), Bank of Highwood (http://www.bankofhwfs.com/), and Jen Z’s (http://www.jenzsbeautyservicesinc.com/).

Highwood Festival Days will run, rain or shine, the last weekend in July: Thursday, July 26, from 6- 11pm, Friday, July 27, from 6pm-12am, Saturday, July 28, from 3pm-12am, and Sunday, July 29, from 1-9pm. Attendees of all ages can purchase special ‘unlimited ride wristbands’ for $25 on Thursday and Friday and $30 on Sunday. Individual ride tickets will be available for purchase every day.

The City of Highwood offers an amazing assortment of family festivals and events throughout the year that are sure to please all. Highwood Festival Days has drawn thousands of visitors from across the area in years past, and as Highwood’s only carnival event it is a spectacle that cannot be missed.

For more information, please visit www.celebratehighwood.com or call the Highwood Chamber of Commerce at 847.433.2100.