From garlic to bloody marys and plenty in between, Highwood’s wild event schedule is out

Highwood might be small, but their creativity isn’t.

Whether it be margaritas, garlic or even an inferno, Highwood can unite around nearly anything and bring in folks from all over to celebrate with them.

Celebrate Highwood recently announced its slate of unique community events, which includes favorites such as Garlic Fest and Bloody Mary Fest as well as the newcomer Taste of Highwood.

All the events (full list below) are family friendly and created to attract more families than in previous years.

When Celebrate Highwood started off as a foundation 15 years ago, the group’s goal was to bring people to town and help boost local economy and support local businesses. One of the ways they did that was through truly original events, said Jess Ortega, of Celebrate Highwood.

“Highwood puts on these unique events to bring the community together,” she said. “Our oldest event, Highwood Days, was so well put together and captured the spirit of the community.”

To gain inspiration for their events, Celebrate Highwood regularly looks at what’s done well in other states, according to Ortega.

“We don’t like to reinvent the wheel for our events, we like to add our own flair to it,” Ortega said. “One of our past presidents, Eric Falberg, wanted to replicate Pumpkin Fest in Highwood from where he used to live in Keene, New Hampshire. And it’s been 14 years since we’ve been doing Pumpkin Fest, and it’s just been incredible.”

Over the years, the events have been well received, said Ortega, as people return year after year.

“What keeps people coming back is the spirit of community, and the spirit of giving it’s created,” she said. “We have neighbors who used to be board members and their kids would help out in putting together the events as they got older.”

This year, Taste of Highwood will merge with Highwood Days to support businesses and add variety as a replacement for what had been Taco Fest.

The events also often support a good cause. Last year, Pumpkin Fest raised $15,000 for Service and Learning Together, commonly called SaLT, which comprises volunteers from local high schools who meet the needs of the community. And Highwood 5K raised money for the Josselyn Center, a mental health clinic.

In prior years, events supported Kid’s Rank, Make a Wish Foundation and Highland Park Community Foundation.

“As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, our goal is to raise money through our events and festivals to give back to charities who have a big presence in and give back to Highwood,” Ortega said of Celebrate Highwood.

EVENT SCHEDULE

Gourmet Market
When: 4:30-9 p.m., weekly Wednesday (June 3 to Aug. 26)
Where: Everts Park (111 North Ave.)
Food, drinks, local wares, live music and an outdoors family festival with more than 60 vendors each week.

Summer Carnival
When: July 5-7 (all day)
Where: Downtown Highwood Metra station parking lot
Carnival with rides, games and food. Families can celebrate with discounted unlimited ride wristbands.

Inferno Fest
When: 4:30-9 p.m. June 30
Where: Everts Park, 111 North Ave.
Spicy food and beverages

Highwood Days Carnival and Taste of Highwood
When: July 17-19 (all day)
Where: Downtown Highwood Metra station parking lot and Everts Park, 111 North Ave.
The city’s oldest festival, Highwood Days, with carnival rides, games, live music and more. Taste of Highwood brings together restaurants, specialty food operations and full booze tents.

5K run, walk & stroll
When: 9 a.m. July 18
Where: Downtown Highwood
A fun run, walk and stroll (pets and family welcome) along the lak front trail, through historic Fort Sheridan and back again.

Margarita Night
When: 4:30-9 p.m. July 29
Where: Everts Park, 111 North Ave.
A Jimmy Buffett-style event with tribute band, beach balls, flamingos, margaritas, Caribbean food and key lime pie.

Garlic Fest
When: 4:30-9 p.m. Aug. 12
Where: Everts Park, 111 North Ave.
A plethora of garlic-centered dishes, from garlic-infused chocolate, cookies, ice cream, cupcakes and cocktails to garlic-infused pastas, sandwiches, sauces and spreads. Includes Taste of Garlic competition

Bloody Mary Fest
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 16
Where: Everts Park, 111 North Ave.
Various types of tomato-based beverages with spirits, beer and other ingredients. Vendors will compete for the Proud Mary Award.

Nashwood
When: Sept. 4-6 (all day)
Where: Downtown Highwood
Highwood turns into Nashville. Restaurants and bars will feature live country, southern blues, classic and contemporary rock from Friday happy hour to all day and evening Saturday and Sunday.

Pumpkin Festival
When: Oct. 2-4 (all day)
Where: Downtown Highwood (Community Night and Opening Carnival Oct. 1)
All-you-can-carve pumpkins, nightly lighting of pumpkin-filled walls, carnival rides, costume and pumpkin pie eating contests, trick or treating and more.

Elf Invasion Pub Crawl
When: 2 p.m. Dec. 5
Where: Downtown Highwood
Dress the part and join a troupe of elves as they visit the city to enjoy live music, food and drink specials and raffle prizes.