ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT | Strawberry Fest Returns to Historic Chicago Suburb of Long Grove

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN LONG GROVE, JUNE 23-25

Historic Downtown Long Grove will once again host its annual homage to strawberries at the eponymously-named summer festival, Strawberry Fest. After a brief hiatus last year, Strawberry Fest returns by popular demand (http://longgrove.org/festivals/strawberry-festival-2017/) June 23rd through the 25th. At the 2017 edition, producers are presenting three days of riveting live music along with vendors and activities devoted to the almighty strawberry, from prime rib sandwiches lathered in strawberry salsa to strawberry pie-eating competitions.

Although Strawberry Fest begins and ends with the strawberry, in no way is it an exclusive strawberry party. For those who want to mix it up, all Midwest summer fruits will be represented, offering diverse creations for every taste bud. In addition to three stages of live entertainment programmed by Ravenswood Special Events, Strawberry Fest 2017 will see the return of the beloved Kid Zone, with timeless fun for the young and the young at heart.

"It seems people can't get enough strawberries," joked Ryan Messner, President of the Historic Downtown Long Grove Business Association. "We're excited to bring Strawberry Fest back! It's Long Grove's signature summer party, always a great time to come out and visit our charming town."

The first area of attraction that stands out this year is the live music. With three stages of non-stop, high quality tunes, there won't ever be a dull moment. Stasek Chevrolet Main Stage headliners include rock tribute powerhouse 7th Heaven (Friday at 9 pm), 80's cover giants Hi Infidelity (Saturday at 9 pm), and the redheads that rock known as The Gingers (Sunday at 4 pm). The full music lineup can be found on the website.

In respect to Strawberry Fest eats, on top of the many strawberry-infused foods and drinks, there will be a wide array of BBQ and fruits of the summer delights from popular local vendors like Strawberry Patch, The Village Tavern, and Long Grove Confectionery. Some of the fest's unique strawberry-centric food and beverage items include: strawberry beer, strawberry wine, chocolate strawberry popcorn, strawberry kabobs, strawberry jams, strawberry fudge and much more.

For the kiddos, Strawberry Fest organizers are planning thrilling activities all weekend long at the Kid's Zone, including: Medieval Times junior knight training, dance performances, water balloon toss, bag sets, spin art coloring, face painting, the bubbler, flower crown arts and crafts, DIY gardening for little green thumbs, and much more. There will also be live karaoke on the Fountain Square Stage on Sunday and the exhilarating strawberry pie-eating competitions on Saturday and Sunday for both kids and adults. To cap it off, a full carnival - with all the classic carnival rides from Fantasy Amusements - will be held the Archer parking lot. Separate carnival ride tickets will be available for purchase on-site.

Location: Downtown Long Grove, 308 Old McHenry Rd, Long Grove, IL 60047

Hours of Operation for Strawberry Fest: Fri, June 23: 11 am - 11 pm; Sat, June 24: 10 am - 11 pm, Sun, June 25: 10 am - 6 pm

Strawberry Fest Admission: $5 per person, children under 12 no charge all the time. On Friday from 11 am - 2 pm there will be no admission for all.

Parking is complimentary in all public lots:

Stempel Municipal Lot - 360 Historical Lane, Long Grove, IL 60047

Archer Lot - 343 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove, IL 60047

Kildeer Countryside Elementary School - 3100 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove, IL 60047

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