Story posted Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Lions Fest Returns To Melas July 1
The Mt. Prospect Lions Club will host its 71st annual festival from July 1-5 at Melas Park, near the corner of Central and Busse roads in Mt. Prospect.
The free-admission event gets underway Wednesday, July 1 at 6 p.m., with a fireworks show at dusk, and culminates with Family Day from 1 to 5 p.m. on July 5, featuring 75-cent food and drink specials at the Taste of Mt. Prospect food tent from 4 to 5 p.m. in honor of the service club's 75th charter anniversary. Lonnie Brooks will headline a night of Blues music Thursday, July 2, and Rock/Pop/Power Pop band Dot Dot Dot will perform on July 3.
The Taste of Mt. Prospect will feature five area restaurant booths. Besides the fireworks show on July 4th, the Lions Club will be hosting its annual Pancake Breakfast and Bake Sale from 7 to 11 a.m., followed by the village's 4th of July Parade at 1 p.m.
The festival concludes on Sunday, July 5 with Family Day. There will be free face painting, crafts, and prizes plus a magician for children ranging in age from toddler to 12 years and older. There will also be games and activities for children every 10 minutes from 1 to 5 p.m., including: musical chairs, hot potato, hula hooping, limbo, races, and freeze dancing.
Also on Sunday, July 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be a Lions Paw Charity Car and Motorcycle Show at Melas Park. There will be 20 vehicle classes with three awards per class plus "best of show." All registered participants will be entered into a raffle drawing.
The top prize in the Lions Club raffle this year will be a four-day/three-night, air/hotel Las Vegas vacation. Other prizes include a Bosch Tool package, an adult bicycle, a color television, a Sybaris Overnight Getaway, and a local dining package. Festival hours are: July 1-2 from 6 to 11 p.m.; July 3 from 3 to 11 p.m.; July 4 from 1 to 11 p.m.; and July 5 from 1 to 11 p.m.
On July 4, a shuttle bus will run from village hall and St. Raymond Catholic Church every 15 minutes. Shuttle bus pickup at St. Raymond's will be on Lincoln Street. Parking will be available at the Bosch lot on all festival days.
Speak Out!
Comments are edited first by Journal staff before running in print and appearing online.