As September arrives, Flossmoor Fest is only days away.
This year’s village festival – it’s slated for Saturday, Sept. 12, in downtown Flossmoor and Flossmoor Park – includes several new activities for all ages.
Pickleball is coming, and so are a nine-hole miniature golf course and a truck filled with video games. Participants can be part of a giant village photo. And Flossmoor’s newest sculpture will be formally dedicated, with its creator on hand to work on an art project during the festival.
Flossmoor Fest, however, is mostly aimed at bringing neighbors together from different parts of the village, and the entire H-F area. Sterling Avenue is closed north of Flossmoor Road so that friends, old and new, can mingle in the downtown area. Onstage, school choirs sing throughout the day and bands play in the late afternoon and evening.
“We want this to be a community event,” said Kimberly Richardson, assistant to the village manager. “It’s a chance for people to come together, and to interact with their neighbors. We are grateful for the participation of our businesses since they are such a big part of the community.”
The village of Flossmoor organizes the festival but Richardson said it could not happen without help from sponsors and volunteers. The H-F Park District and Flossmoor Library are also partners. Tom Tomaszewski, Karen Hoag and Laura Brennan-Levy head up this year’s Flossmoor Fest Committee, Richardson said.
With the exception of food and drink sales, and items for sale at a few booths, everything at Flossmoor Fest is free, Richardson said.
Events on Sept. 12 include:
- The Flossmoor 5K walk/run starts at 8 a.m. in Leavitt Park. Registration and check-in begins at 7 a.m. The event is sponsored by the H-F Racquet Club and Conroy Orthopedics and Sports Physical Therapy. Interested persons can register online at www.hfracquetandfitness.com.
- Artist Gino Miles’ sculpture “Inamorata,” located at Park Drive and Argyle Avenue, will be dedicated by Flossmoor Art Commission members just prior to the start of the festival, at about 10:30 a.m. Miles will meet with residents during the day and help create an art project.
- The opening ceremony, featuring Mayor Paul Braun and the Homewood-Flossmoor High School Viking Band, takes place at 11:30 a.m. The Infant Jesus of Prague School choir will sing at noon, to be followed by the Western Avenue School choir at 12:30 p.m., the Flossmoor Hills School choir at 1 p.m., the Heather Hill School Choir at 1:30 p.m., the Serena Hills School choir at 2 p.m. and the Parker Junior High School choir at 2:30 p.m.
- Activities in Flossmoor Park take place between noon and 5 p.m. Pickleball, with elements of tennis and badminton, will be played at the tennis court. A 20-station video game truck will be parked on Flossmoor Road; all games will be child-friendly. The Flossmoor Fire Department will put on demonstrations throughout the day, and there will be pony rides, fair rides and a kiddie express train. Inflatables, the miniature golf course, crafts, a balloon artist and face painting will also be on-site in Flossmoor Park.
- Food booths on the west side of the Metra tracks will be hosted by Flossmoor Station Restaurant and Brewery, Fresh Starts Restaurant and Siam Thai Restaurant. Wiley’s Grill will have a food booth in Flossmoor Park.
- Fest participants can be part of a community photo at 5 p.m. in the downtown area. Thomas’ Photographic Services will take the picture as part of the village’s first-ever Flossmoor Yearbook project.
- Evening entertainment will begin at 4:30 p.m. RetroActive will play from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Party Crashers will play from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Euphony will play from 8:30 to 10 p.m.
- Richardson said the village is encouraging people to ride their bikes to this year’s fest. Members of the village’s Green Committee will valet park bikes at Flossmoor Park between noon and 5 p.m.
Photos provided by the village of Flossmoor.
