Most Holy Redeemer Cancels Parish Carnival Out Of 'Safety Concerns'

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — After months of planning for what was to be Most Holy Redeemer's 46th annual carnival, the parish announced Wednesday that it had decided to cancel the carnival out of safety concerns.

Following last week's incident in Tinley Park, where hundreds of teens swarmed the Armed Forces Carnival, Most Holy Redeemer canceled the carnival originally scheduled for June 15 to June 18. Tinley Park police said the teen flash mob had been planned on social media.

>>> Hundreds Of Teens Mob Tinley Carnival, Police Cancel Event

"Over recent weeks though, incidents such as those taking place last month in downtown Chicago and Lombard, and last weekend in Tinley Park, raised many concerns from our parishioners about safety at the MHR Carnival," Fr. Jim Hyland explained in an email to parishioners

After consulting with the parish carnival committee and the Evergreen Park Police Department, made the "difficult decision was made to . The pandemic wiped out the carnival in 2020 and 2021, and last year, the dates had to move due to a worker shortage.

The Most Holy Redeemer Parish Carnival is a long standing tradition and the parish's biggest fundraiser of the year, with much of the proceeds going to support the parish elementary school.

"In the end though concerns about safety won out," Fr. Hyland said.

The parish is looking into an alternative summer event for parishioners.