Your Guide To Founders' Days 2018

ALGONQUIN, IL – The four-day Founders' Days festival will get underway Thursday and continue through Sunday. The festival has switched locations and will be held in Spella Park, 2610 Harnish Drive. After the festival was cancelled last year due to flooding–the first cancellation in the festival's 57 years–festival organizers decided to seek higher and dryer ground for this year's fest.

"Because of the flooding last year, we decided we wanted to go a little higher and a little drier," Founders' Days board President Dan Barton told the Daily Herald. "It's more open.We have a better view of the entire fest as it's going on. We're excited."

In the past, Founders' Days has been held in Towne Park and Algonquin Lakes Park.

After the 2017 cancellation, festival organizers did end up hosting a scaled-down Founders' Days Festival in September. A portion of proceeds from that fest went to support flood victims after the summer's unprecedented flooding along the Fox River in Algonquin.

This meant the amount of funds typically rolled over to help pay for this year's fest are much lower. In fact, fest organizers are working with 75 percent less in cash in its festival fund, according to the Daily Herald. But organizers trimmed expenses, sought more sponsorship and got creative and said that 2018 is still promising to bring all the crowd favorites.

The festival will run from 4 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The cost if $5 for entrance to the fest.

Parking Restrictions/Shuttle Buses

Special parking restrictions in the area of Spella Park have been imposed and will be enforced during the Founders' Days festival. These include “No Parking” areas located on Harnish Drive, Eineke Boulevard,
Eineke Court, Wintergreen Terrace, and Woods Creek Lane.

Designated parking for the festival, with shuttle bus service to Spella Park, will be available at the following locations:

• Community Unit School District # 300 Administration Building, 2550 Harnish Drive
• Target, 750 S. Randall Road
• JC Penney, 800 S. Randall Road
• St. Margaret Mary Church, 111 S. Hubbard Street

Schedule of Events

A full schedule of events can be found below:

Thursday

• CARNIVAL FOR SPECIAL KIDS: 4 p.m.
• CARDBOARD BOAT REGATTA: 4 p.m.
• SPELLA PARK OPENS: 5 p.m.
• SOCIAL GARDEN OPENS: 5 p.m.
• VIP AREA OPENS: 5 p.m.
• TASTE OF FOUNDERS: 5 p.m.
• DESIGNATED DRIVER PROGRAM: 5 p.m.
• CARNIVAL FOR ALL OPENS: 6 p.m.
• OPENING CEREMONIES: 7 p.m.
• PIRATES OVER 40: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. (GET VIP TICKETS)
• FOUNDERS' DAYS CLOSES: 10 p.m.

FRIDAY

• Founders Expo/Trash & Treasure: 9 a.m. (SIGN UP here)
• Dog and Cat show registration: 9 a.m. (FLYER)
• Dog and Cat show: 10 a.m. (VOLUNTEER)
• Children's games: 10 a.m.
• Moonwalk/Bounce House: 10 a.m.
• Taste of Founders: 11 a.m.
• Bake off registration: 11 a.m.
• Bake off judging: 12 p.m.
• Carnvial wristbands only: 12 p.m.
• Carnival opens for all: 5 p.m.
• Designated Driver program/social garden opens/VIP area opens: 5 p.m. (GET VIP tickets)
• HIFI SUPERSTAR: 5 to 6:30 p.m. (GET VIP tickets)
• LIBIDO FUNK CIRCUS: 7-8:30 p.m. (GET VIP tickets)
• BOY BAND REVIEW: 9-10:30 p.m. (GET VIP tickets)
• FOUNDERS' DAYS CLOSES: 11 p.m.

SATURDAY, July 28

• FOUNDERS' GOES MEDIEVAL PARADE: 11 a.m.
• SPELLA PARK OPENS: 1 p.m.
• TASTE OF FOUNDERS: 1 p.m.
• ALGONQUIN'S GOT TALENT: 1 p.m. (REGISTER/FLYER)
• CARNIVAL OPENS FOR ALL: 1:30 p.m.
• SOCIAL GARDEN OPENS: 2 p.m.
• DESIGNATED DRIVER PROGRAM: 2 p.m.
• VIP AREA OPENS: 2 p.m. (GET VIP)
• PARADE AWARDS ANNOUNCED: 4:30 p.m.
• 7TH HEAVEN: 5 p.m. (GET VIP)
• FOCAL POINT: 7 p.m. (GET VIP)
• MODERN DAY ROMEOS: 9 p.m. (GET VIP)
• FOUNDERS' DAYS CLOSES: 11 p.m.

Sunday, July 29

• BOY SCOUT TROOP 151 PANCAKE BREAKFAST: 8 a.m.
• FOUNDERS' RUN CHECK IN: 7 a.m.
• FOUNDERS' RUN-1 MILE: 8 a.m. (REGISTER/RACE MAP)
• FOUNDERS' RUN 10K, 5K: 8:30 a.m. (REGISTER 10K RACE MAP/5K RACE MAP)
• FOUNDERS' 5K WALK: 8:40 a.m. (REGISTER RACE MAP)
• FAMILY FUN DAY: 9 a.m. (SIGN UP)
• FREE YOGA CLASS IN THE PARK: 9 a.m.
• JUNIOR EAGLES PUNT, PASS & KICK COMPETITION: 9 a.m.
• KIDS KRAFT KORNER: 11 a.m. (VOLUNTEER)
• CARNIVAL OPENS - TICKETS & WRISTBANDS: 11 a.m.
• TASTE OF FOUNDERS: 12 P.M.
• COMPETITIVE CAR SHOW (JCPENNY PARKING LOT): 10 A.M.
• SOCIAL GARDEN OPENS: 12:30 P.M.
• DESIGNATED DRIVER PROGRAM: 12:30 p.m.
• VIP AREA OPENS: 12:30 P.M.
• FAMILY OLYMPICS: 1:30 P.M.
• ALABASTER: 1:30 P.M. (GET VIP)
• NEW AGE AMERICANS: 2:30 P.M. (GET VIP)
• REBEL SOULS: 3:30 P.M. (GET VIP)
• MR. CAPONE'S BOOTLEGGER BAND: 4:30 P.M. (GET VIP)
• FOUNDERS' DAYS CLOSES: 6 P.M.
• FOUNDERS' DAYS FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR: 9 P.M. – RIVERFRONT PARK

More via the Algonquin Founders' Days Festival website

PATCH FILE PHOTO