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Glen Ellyn Park District announces summer special event lineup

Posted on: March 15, 2018

The Glen Ellyn Park District is excited to unveil its special event line-up for the spring and summer including Touch-A-Truck, a new Bike Rodeo, the Freedom Fourâ„¢ 4-Mile Run, and more.

Celebrate Lake Ellyn on Earth Day
April 22 from 1pm-4pm
Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road, Glen Ellyn
Get a dose of nature and learn ways that you can help create a greener Glen Ellyn. This year’s event is centered around Lake Ellyn, with highlights of the event including:

  • 1pm-4pm: Green Expo – meet representatives from earth-friendly organizations & groups
  • 1pm-4pm: Kid’s activity stations and scavenger hunt
  • 1pm-4pm: Canoe & kayak rentals available for $5/boat for 20 minutes
  • 1:30pm-2pm: Boathouse’s sustainable landscape by Landscape Architect Jonathan Lawrence.
  • 2pm-3:30pm: Majors Junction will perform live music
  • 2:15pm-2:45pm: Woodland, wildflower, and restoration tour led by Park District naturalist staff
  • 3pm-3:45pm: Walking tour on the history of Lake Ellyn led by Historian Dan Anderson

Touch-A-Truck
May 5 from 10am-1pm
Maryknoll Park, 845 Pershing Road, Glen Ellyn, IL
Touch-A-Truck offers hundreds of truck-loving tots and their families the opportunity to sit in, touch, discover, and safely explore their favorite big trucks and things on wheels. Mini truck aficionados will love the experience of pressing buttons, honking horns, climbing into different vehicles, and meeting the men and women who drive them! This is a free event – no tickets or registration required. Touch-A-Truck is sponsored, in part, by O’Hare Towing Service, Bowlero, Glen Ellyn Dentistry, and Holes & Knolls Mini Golf. Learn more at www.gepark.org/touch-a-truck.

  • Horn-free hour from 10am-11am
  • Free shuttle from the Roosevelt Glen off-site parking area
  • Steamroller demo – bring an aluminum can to be crushed!
  • Raffles and a themed giveaway (while supplies last)

NEW Bike Rodeo
May 6 from 12pm-2pm
Duane/Lorraine Parking Lot, just west of the Glen Ellyn Public Library
Save the date for this FREE Bike Rodeo on Sunday, May 6 featuring on-the-spot bike checks, a bike decorating station, and safety demonstrations! Kids will learn important rules of the road and have a chance to test their knowledge on a miniature riding course. Participants must bring their own bike and wear a properly-fitted helmet to participate on the riding course. The Bike Rodeo is presented by Glen Ellyn Park District and Glen Ellyn Police Department in conjunction with Northwestern Medicine, The Bike Hub, and Glen Ellyn Public Library. www.gepark.org.


25th Annual Lake Ellyn Cardboard Regatta & Food Truck Picnic in the Park
June 30 from 10am-3pm
Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road, Glen Ellyn
The Lake Ellyn Cardboard Regatta will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2018! Gather a team and start brainstorming your design – the Glen Ellyn Park District is currently taking registrations for this historic event. The 25th Annual Lake Ellyn Cardboard Regatta will take place on Saturday, June 30, 2018, and the District challenges designers to think BIG. Will your team build the tallest boat? The longest? Divisions are available for family, adult, and youth. Just $50 per boat to compete; free to spectate. www.gepark.org/regatta


Freedom Fourâ„¢ 4-Mile Run
July 4 at 8am
Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road, Glen Ellyn
Start your 4th of July running for a good cause at the Freedom Fourâ„¢ 4-Mile Run! Proceeds help benefit the Glen Ellyn Park District Scholarship Fund. Register by June 28th at www.FreedomFourRun.com to receive the $25 “Early Bird” rate and guarantee your race t-shirt. The Freedom Fourâ„¢ will be held at Lake Ellyn Park with the run beginning promptly at 8am. This family-friendly event is open to runners, joggers, and walkers ages 5+ with awards presented to the top two male and female finishers in each age division. www.freedomfourrun.com


Afternoon Festivities
July 4 from 1pm-4pm
Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road, Glen Ellyn
Bring your family for a couple of hours of fun after the Fourth of July Parade! There will be FREE live music by Rendition. With a $3 wristband – which helps support the Glen Ellyn Park District Scholarship Fund – kids can enjoy all the action including face painting, penny carnival games (with tickets redeemable for prizes), moonwalks and an inflatable obstacle course. Plus, concessions will be available for purchase. www.gepark.org/afternoon-fest


Family Fun Night
July 18 from 5:30pm-7:30pm
Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road, Glen Ellyn
Don’t miss this family-friendly, fun-filled, FREE evening of music and entertainment, exciting rides and bounce houses, summer craft projects, face painting, and more at Lake Ellyn Park! Join us for this Glen Ellyn tradition and make some summer memories. Pack a picnic or enjoy refreshments available for purchase at this event. Thank you to our Family Fun Night sponsors: Bowlero and Bauer & Bauer Dentistry and Orthodontics. www.gepark.org.


Boating in the Park
Available on May 27, June 10, June 24, July 8, July 22, August 12, and August 26
Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road, Glen Ellyn
Row or pedal your way around Lake Ellyn! The Glen Ellyn Park District will have kayaks, canoes, and pedal boats available to rent from noon-4pm. Instructions are available on dry land before you venture out. Pack a picnic to enjoy by the shore and spend the afternoon in the park. Rental fee: $5 per boat for 20 minutes. www.gepark.org.


Movies in the Parks
Pack a blanket and spend a Wednesday evening watching a FREE movie under the stars. All movies begin at dusk (between 8:30pm-9pm). Head to the park at 8:15pm to enjoy a free craft project or activity before the film. Residents and non-resident are welcome to attend. www.gepark.org/movies

  • June 6: Charlotte’s Web at Spalding Park (22W325 2nd Street, Glen Ellyn)
  • June 27: Leap! At Lake Ellyn Park (645 Lenox Road, Glen Ellyn)
  • July 11: Wonder at Lake Foxcroft Park (2S540 Lambert Road, Glen Ellyn)
  • August 8: Coco at Newton Park (707 Fairview Avenue, Glen Ellyn)

Jazz in the Parks
The Glen Ellyn Jazz Ensemble will play a mix of your favorite Big Band tunes at FREE concerts in June, July & August. Come listen to Brian Setzer’s Rock This Town, Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Duke Ellington’s Satin Doll, Fly Me to the Moon, and more. Fun for all ages, “Jazz in the Park” brings a touch of Ravinia to Glen Ellyn. Be sure to pack a blanket, lawn chairs and picnic dinner. All concerts take place from 7pm-9pm. www.gepark.org/jazz

  • June 20 at Maryknoll Park (845 Pershing Avenue, Glen Ellyn)
  • July 25 at Newton Park (707 Fairview Avenue, Glen Ellyn)
  • August 15 at Lake Ellyn Park (645 Lenox Road, Glen Ellyn)

Free Summer Photo Contest
July 1, 2018 – September 1, 2018
Submit photos of events or places in the Glen Ellyn Park District and compete against other like-minded shutterbugs. The entry deadline is September 1. Winning photographs will be featured in a Glen Ellyn Park District Activity Guide and receive a prize. Divisions for both youth and adult. www.gepark.org/photo-contest.