On the heels of a successful 50th anniversary in 2023, Gurnee Days returns this year with a nod to the Olympic Games.
Gurnee Days is from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Aug. 10 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 11 at Viking Park in Gurnee. The event features music, food, fireworks, a parade and more, said Davida Doyle, marketing and public relations specialist with the Gurnee Park District.
“We have a new Kid’s Zone area that we’re really excited about,” she said. That will be in the back parking lot and will include inflatables, bumper cars, a Euro bungee attraction, carnival games, a book mobile, a balloon artist and temporary glitter tattoos. That runs from 12 to 5 p.m. Aug. 10 and comes with a $10 unlimited attraction wristband.
“(There’s) a wide variety to keep the kids having fun and busy while they’re here,” she said.
Adult Bingo will be on Aug. 10 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. presented by the Gurnee Chamber of Commerce. It’s $1 per card and prizes include gift cards to local businesses.
“And then we have all of our other activities Saturday, including our ice cream eating contest and a rib eating contest, which is always fun to see local municipalities compete against each other,” she said. “We also have dodgeball, which is organized by the Warren Township Teen Center.”
The ice cream eating contest is at 2 p.m. Aug. 10 and is open to anyone age 5 and up who wants to sign up and risk brain freeze. Prizes are awarded by age group.
The Ribfest is presented by the Gurnee Exchange Club. They will be selling their famous ribs — along with pulled pork, hot dogs, corn and mac ‘n’ cheese — from 12 to 11 p.m. Aug. 10, Doyle said.
“They also supply the ribs for the rib eating contest,” she said. The contest is at 3 p.m. Aug. 10. The proceeds benefit non-profit organizations that focus on the prevention of child abuse, she said.
“The rib eating contest is actually for municipalities throughout Gurnee,” she said. “So that’s our fire department, police department, the park district, the library and the school districts. It’s always fun to see everyone competing against each other for who’s going to win the trophy. It gets a little messy.”
The Mother Rudd House and Museum will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. both days of the festival.
“It was part of the Underground Railroad during the Civil War era. It has a lot of local history to Gurnee,” she said. “People can learn more about the history of Gurnee.”
A community art show will be from 12 to 7 p.m. Aug. 10 and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 11, she said.
“This will be the third year … since we brought it to Gurnee Days and this year includes more than 300 submissions. So it continues to grow each year,” she said. “A lot of the submissions are from our local school districts. We do get submissions from the public. It’s open to all ages.”
Bands performing Aug. 10 include No Limit at 5:15 p.m. and Hello Weekend at 8 p.m.
New this year will be the Gurnee Farmer’s Market onsite at Gurnee Days from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 11, she said. All the same vendors that you would normally see at the Gurnee Farmer’s Market will be there, she said.
“We’re really excited to see how that can grow in the coming years,” she said.
The Gurnee Days Car Show is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 11, she said.
“We have a lot of car enthusiasts and there is a huge variety of cars and trucks and motorcycles that will be displayed throughout the day,” Doyle said.
At noon Aug. 11 is the Gurnee Days Parade, where local businesses and community clubs from Gurnee and surrounding towns participate.
“It really draws a big crowd,” she said. “There are thousands who come to watch the parade. It’s a fun way to celebrate the summer and Gurnee Days. The theme this year — we’re going with the Olympics — is Going for the Gold. Many of the floats will probably have some sort of Olympic theme to go with the decorations.
“After the parade, we are hoping to cater to all of the Gurnee Swifties. We have a Taylor Swift tribute band (called Sparks Fly) that will play from 1:30 to 3 p.m.,” she said. “We’re very excited … I think that’s going to be fun for all ages and will keep people having fun throughout the afternoon.”
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When hunger strikes, there are food booths and food trucks with a variety of cuisine will be represented, she said.
“A lot of vendors are local,” she said.
A new attraction, the Fit Nation Sports Lounge, is from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Aug. 11.
“We noticed that Gurnee Days will be held on the closing day of the Summer Olympics and there’s also the Crosstown Classic between the Cubs and the White Sox,” she said. “Fit Nation wanted to get involved and support those. So Fit Nation Lounge is going to be near the beer tent and will have an outdoor TV so people can watch the games and the Olympics and still be near the music.
“We also have one of the best fireworks shows in Lake County,” she said. “It really is a great show and it draws a big crowd. (The weekend) is a celebration of summer and a great way for our community to really celebrate everyone here in Gurnee. Even if you’re not from Gurnee, it’s a time to let loose and have fun.”
Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
Gurnee Days
When: 12-10:30 p.m. Aug. 10 and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 11
Where: Viking Park, 4374 Old Grand Ave., Gurnee
Tickets: free
Information: 847-623-7788; gurneeparkdistrict.com/gurnee-days/