HO_062719

homerhorizon.com news
the homer horizon | June 27, 2019 | 3
Homer Community Fest, parade feature old and new traditions
Laurie Fanelli
Freelance Reporter
Nothing says summer
like a parade, except maybe
a carnival.
On Saturday, June 22,
the Homer Glen community
came out in droves to
enjoy two of the most popular
events of the season:
Homer Township’s Annual
Independence Day Parade
and the Village of Homer
Glen’s Homer Community
Fest. The parade featured
all of the traditions
— sirens, candy, music
and more — families have
come to love, while the
fest itself, which ran from
Thursday, June 20, through
Sunday, June 23, had a new
location at Heritage Park.
“This has been a dream
for many years to have it
here at Heritage Park because
of the paved surfaces
and everything is contained
in one place,” Village
Community Relations Coordinator
Sue Steilen said.
“People have been planning
this for two years.”
Village Trustee Keith
Gray, who chairs the
Homer Community Festival
Committee, was also
thrilled with the new location.
“It’s been great,” Gray
said. “We’ve gotten a lot of
positive feedback from the
people. Everybody loves
it because it’s wide open,
a lot of land, and the carnival
is all on pavement,
so it’s been great this year.
The kids are loving the
carnival. It’s packed every
night. The community really
loves this event.”
The Saturday festivities
began with the Independence
Day Parade. Homer
Township Trustee Ed Kalas
said he loves driving in the
procession each year, as it
warms his heart to see all
Homer Glen resident Madison Rusin goes for a spin on the teacups ride on Saturday,
June 22, at Homer Community Fest. Photos by Laurie Fanelli/22nd Century Media
the children smiling and
waving.
“The weather has turned
out great today,” Kalas said
on Saturday. “We’re always
trying to add more to the
parade, like the marching
bands, which we were kind
of short on for a couple
years. The car clubs are always
here. Everyone really
comes together for this, the
Township, the Village, the
Road District, EMAs.”
Homer Glen Junior
Woman’s Club, Elite
Dance Academy, Cross of
Glory, Sports Clips, Girl
Scout Service Unit 741 of
Lockport and Homer Glen,
Cub Scout Pack 61, Kickhigher
Martial Arts and
many more participated in
the parade. Live music was
provided by the Lockport
Township High School
Marching Band, Patriot
Brass and the Joliet American
Legion Band.
Homer Glen residents
the Milligan family — Kiera,
Ryan, Hannah (3) and
Nora (1) — said they love
attending both the parade
and carnival.
“This parade is very family
friendly,” Kiera said.
“The amount of candy they
get is great, and they really
enjoy it. Last year, Hannah
sliced a board from one of
the karate places. She loved
it.”
Hannah added that she
loved going to the carnival
on Thursday because she
got to spend time with her
uncle and have fun on the
slide and car rides. Other
attractions at the carnival
included Moby Dick, Fast
N Furious, Looney Train
and Pharaoh’s Fury.
Walking along with
Village Trustees, Mayor
George Yukich handed out
bags filled with candy, as
well as goodies and coupons
from local businesses,
to parade attendees. He was
enjoying another successful
year of Homer Community
Fest.
“Everyone works together
in this community,
and that’s what’s so beautiful,”
Yukich said. “This
is almost like you’re going
back to Mayberry. Everybody
knows everybody.
Everyone’s there for you,
and when it comes to volunteers,
we always get way
more than we need. It’s
great to have all the help.”
While the extended
Owen Genis, of Homer Glen, plays the rubber ducky
game at the carnival portion of the festival.
Chloe Siezega plays clarinet with the Lockport
Township High School Marching Band during the
Independence Day Parade.
weekend was filled with
fun, Yukich counted the
Thursday night fireworks
as a definite highlight.
“That was the best fireworks
display I’ve ever
seen in my life, and I’m
63 years old. It just makes
you proud,” said Yukich,
adding his appreciation for
everyone who helps plan
the festival. “The Festival
committee has the hardest
job — more meetings than
anyone else — and every
year it’s gone off without a
flaw. And, Mother Nature’s
finally working with us. It’s
the second day of summer,
and we’ve got beautiful
weather.”
Gray also enjoyed the
“perfect” fireworks display,
as well as the “phenomenal
Special Needs Day on Friday.”
“We invite all the special
needs kids to come and
enjoy the carnival on their
own for a few hours,” Gray
said. “It’s closed to the public
and only open to special
needs families. They get to
enjoy that without all the
noise and the crowds that
might put them off.”
Gray hopes that the community
will return to Heritage
Park later this summer
as the Village plans to open
the Active Core section of
the park. Tennis courts,
pickleball courts, a challenge
course, sensory garden
and more are among
the highly anticipated features
of the Active Core
segment.
Homer Fest and the Independence
Day Parade
are a collaboration between
government agencies — including
the Homer Township
Road District, which
organizes the fireworks,
any road or parking logistics
and more — local businesses,
organizations and
residents.
Cool Creations, Kenootz
Pizza, Big Joe’s Backyard
BBQ, Pelican Harry’s
and more were among the
on-site vendors at the carnival.
Meijer, Kenwood
Liquors and All Around
Amusement were among
the Homer Fest sponsors,
while live music and games
added to the fun.
“All of the vendors that
we have here are Homer
Glen businesses, and we
also use community organizations
in the beer tent
to serve the beer,” Steilen
said. “We’re grateful for
all the volunteers that we
get. I think we have 100
volunteers doing all different
things. The Road
District has been great
with pulling in things at
the last minute, and we’re
grateful for the use of all
the parking lots, the library
has been great and,
of course, our Will County
sheriffs.”