As part of the Libertyville Days Festival, between 75 to 85 entries moved south along Milwaukee Avenue for this year’s rain-or-shine Libertyville Days Parade on June 20.
Saturday’s weather was sunny, breezy and approaching 70 degrees at the 10 a.m. parade start. People lined Milwaukee Avenue for a large turnout.
The theme for this year’s festival was “Stars, Stripes, and Libertyville Nights” for the United States’ birthday.
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“This is a very significant year because we’re honoring the 250 anniversary of our country,” said Libertyville Mayor Donna Johnson in the parade staging area.
“It’s very important that we honor all the veterans that we encounter and that we give honor to those at the memorial and that we say that we gather together and we recognize all our blessings from being in such a great country,” Johnson added.
The Libertyville Civic Center Foundation (LCCF) is the organizer of the annual Libertyville Days Festival, which features a carnival, the parade and this year, many new family-friendly activities in Cook Park.
Also on June 20 was a tribute by the LCCF recognizing the Libertyville High School (LHS) state champion baseball team. According to the LCCF, the LHS Wildcats are, “only a handful of teams to win back-to-back state titles.”
Anne Carlino, LCCF executive director, said, “This is exciting news for Libertyville.”
Community High School District 128 promoted on its Facebook page that, “on Saturday, June 12, the LHS Wildcats Baseball Team captured its second consecutive IHSA State Championship, becoming just the fourth school in Illinois history to repeat as baseball state champions.”
The team rode in the parade with trophies and returned to Cook Park after the parade to display their championship awards, greet fans and pose for photo opportunities.
“To be able to win it for Libertyville, for our small town, and the town I grew up in…just tremendous pride,” said LHS Head Coach Matt Thompson of Libertyville, of the LHS Class of 1998 and also a former LHS Wildcats baseball player who also played in Libertyville youth baseball league programs.
“Just like these little kids,” Thompson said, pointing to youth baseball players set to march in the parade, “I was one of them wanting to play baseball at the next level.”
The parade grand marshals this year were the owners of The Liberty Restaurant, siblings George and Steve Frangos, both of Libertyville. The Liberty Restaurant, 419 S. Milwaukee Avenue, has been in business in Libertyville for 50 years.
“It’s a huge honor,” Steve Frangos said, with a smile, of being selected as parade grand marshals. “Thanks to Libertyville.
“There’s nowhere better, the United States of America,” Frangos added. “Libertyville, it’s a great little village in the northern suburbs.
“It’s a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful place.”
About doing business in Libertyville, George Frangos said, “One of the best suburbs you can ever have in Illinois, we’re very lucky.
“A favorable wind brought us here some 50 years ago,” George Frangos said. “We thank Libertyville for 50 years of success.”
On Thursday, June 18, in Cook Park, three contestants were crowned as pageant Libertyville royalty. All Libertyville residents: Miss Libertyville 2026 Lily Kiefer, 16, a rising LHS junior; Little Miss Libertyville 2026 Langham Kiely, 8, a rising third-grader; and Junior Miss Libertyville 2026 April Mahan, 12, a rising seventh-grader.
The trio in tiaras rode in the parade in an open convertible, waving to spectators.
Shortly before the parade, Miss Libertyville 2026, Lily Kiefer, said about the 250th USA milestone, “It’s truly such an amazing experience that all three of us get to be together to celebrate this wonderful birthday, and we’re just so proud that we get to represent Libertyville this year.
“Lake County is honestly such a great community,” Kiefer added. “There are so many different towns, and Libertyville specifically has such a wonderful community.
“You can honestly go downtown and talk to anyone and get such an amazing experience,” Miss Libertyville 2026 added.
Pageant Director (in a volunteer role) Bunny Otrembiak of Libertyville was Miss Libertyville 1984 and is of the Carmel Catholic High School of Mundelein Class of 1984.
Otrembiak was named Bunny because of being born on Easter Sunday.
“It’s a wonderful joy and honor to teach young ladies of Libertyville to feel confident, represent themselves with grace and dignity and of course to support the community,” Otrembiak said.
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“I believe what you put out, you receive and be good to others and God will always be good to you.”
There were many families along the parade route with parents from Libertyville who returned to their hometown as residents to raise their children.
This included Lauren McClatchey of Libertyville, of the Libertyville High School Class of 2005, and the parent of Claire McClatchey, 9, a rising fourth-grader.
Claire’s mother said the family was having, “so much fun.
“I grew up here so it’s really fun to do it (attend the parade) with them now.”
Melvina Lube of Lake Forest was in the parade with fellow members of Libertyville Sunrise Rotary.
“I like Lake County because it has all the stores and the resources,” Lube said. “I just love this Lake County.
“It serves a lot of needs in this community and it gives you a lot of opportunities.”
Learn more about the Libertyville Days Festival and the Libertyville Civic Center Foundation (LCCF), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, at https://www.libciviccenter.org/
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.