Usually a three-day event featuring an outdoor movie, parade, fireworks and dozens of other activities, the 20th-annual North Chicago Community Days was reduced to a one-day festival thanks to heavy rains over the weekend.
Antonio Navarro planned to come with his wife and three children — 7, 5 and 2 months — on Saturday. After those plans were postponed, He said he and his family enjoyed the children’s area with its bouncy houses, as well as the food when they attended on Sunday.
“We love going to this,” Navarro said. “It brings the community together.”
“It’s so much fun,” added Alicia Morris, who came with her two children, ages 4 and 10.
The Navarro and Morris families were among more than 400 people attending the festival in the fields outside the Foss Park Recreation Center in North Chicago, which featured entertainment, children’s activities, food trucks and more.
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North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr. said Community Days is a joint effort of the city, the Foss Park District and North Chicago School District 187, with a lot of help coming from the event’s sponsors.
Rockingham said with rain Friday evening, the movie in the park was moved inside to the Youth Center. While families were watching the movie, he huddled with other city officials as they saw a weather forecast for rain Saturday.
“When we looked at the radar, we saw nothing but rain clouds Saturday morning,” he said. “We saw an opening around 2 p.m. where we thought we could start. We cancelled the parade and fireworks and planned to start at 2.”
As the morning progressed, Rockingham said it appeared the rain would continue through much of the afternoon. A decision was made to cancel all of Saturday’s events and start at noon Sunday, going later than originally planned. Some of the entertainment scheduled for Saturday came Sunday.
“God provides us with a lot of freedom,” the mayor said. “We’re free to choose where we live, who we love, where we go to school and the work we do. One thing He totally controls is the weather. It was nice; a lot of the acts were able to come Sunday.”
One of the first things Rockingham said in his opening remarks Sunday was a promise to have a fireworks display at some point in the future. He said earlier Sunday the pyrotechnician recommended against fireworks on Sunday night.
“He said the wind would blow the fireworks where the people would be watching,” Rockingham said, indicating this was not the first time in his tenure fireworks had to be rescheduled. “One year we had them right after the Christmas tree lighting. We lit the tree and had fireworks.”
Operating the children’s area was the Family First Center of Lake County. Rachael Chenier, the organization’s executive director, said the free food and activities are part of their Unity in the Community program.
“We promote unity as an alternative to violence,” Chenier said. “We own the bouncy houses and bring everything to events. If we have happy people, we have less violence. Less violence means the kids will be better off.”
Sitting in a self-made picnic area near the stage was Carrie Price and a group of people. She said she was also there as a sponsor, the Midwest Veterans Closet, and to be part of the festivities with friends and family.
“We’re here to enjoy life, be happy and give something to the community,” Price said
At the Mosaic House booth, youngsters like second grader Jacob Hartman had the opportunity to toss rings at pegs to earn prizes. His tosses landed on the rings.
“I like the games,” Jacob said. “They’re fun.“
Daniel Hartman, Jacob’s father and a 17-year resident of North Chicago, said he was glad the family was able to come Sunday.
“This event brings the community together,” Hartman said.
Now in his 21st year in office, Rockingham said he started Community Days 20 years ago as an opportunity to “give back” to the residents of the city. He secured Park District and school district help, and the event was born.