In its 33rd year, Lindenfest has become a legend — for bingo players.
“The most famous part of Lindenfest, the biggest draw for people is bingo,” said Kim Henning, who serves on the volunteer committee that runs the event set for Thursday through Sunday.
Bingo goes on practically the entire time the festival is open, she said. “It’s just very well run and organized. There are a lot of great prizes donated by local businesses. It’s just a lot of fun. The tent is full all the time. We have regulars who come back every year.”
Past prizes have included restaurant gift certificates and zucchini, she said. Yes, people will play bingo to win a fresh vegetable ready to be turned into bread and ratatouille.
There’s even a one-hour children’s bingo at noon Saturday, which involves prizes. “The police usually call those games,” Henning said.
Lindenfest includes other crowd-pleasers such as the Miss Lindenhurst pageant on Thursday, followed by two big band performances Friday, the parade and mayor’s auction on Saturday and the Battle of the Bands on Sunday.
Henning said due to construction, the parade will have a new route.
It begins at Country Place and Sand Lake Road, proceeding west for a mile and ending at Valley and Sand lake roads.
“All along the route, people can find grassy areas and sidewalks,” she said. “There’s plenty of room to watch and there will be a reviewing stand in front of village hall with an announcer. That’s the central spot.”
The parade will include business owners, scouting groups, the pageant queens and politicians. This year’s grand marshal is Jim Streicher, who’s known as a Lindenhurst legend, she said.
“He had one of the very first businesses ever to open in Lindenhurst in the early 1960s,” Henning said. It was a Texaco gas station.
Streicher has always been active in the village, she said. “He plows snow for seniors, he was on the police force at one time when it was all-volunteer back in the 1960s, and he’s involved with the rescue squad, helping work on vehicles,” she said.
Streicher will ride with his family in a restored Texaco truck for the parade, she said.
Lindenhurst Mayor Dominic Marturano will lead an auction at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. “We do it every year,” Henning said. “Local businesses donate goods or services and the money helps offset the cost of Lindenfest.
“Sunday is a really big draw — that’s the Battle of the Bands. It’s a fun day full of tons of music from 12 to 5. Local bands compete for a cash prize. We’ll have 12 competing bands. Each of them will play three to four songs, about 20 minutes worth,” Henning said.
A bags tournament will be held that day with a cash prize for winners as well.
Eight food booths, a beer tent and 10 nonfood vendors will be open during the festival.
Henning’s favorite parts of the Lindenfest include the parade and the Battle of the Bands. “I love seeing all the kids out there catching candy, and the Battle of the Bands — it’s just a fun day.”
Sheryl DeVore is a freelance writer.
Lindenfest
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When: Aug.11-14
Where: Village Hall Center, 2301 E. Sand Lake Road, Lindenhurst
Tickets: Free
Information: 847-356-8252; lindenhurstil.org/category/subcategory.php?categoryid=16