Redheads Reunited At 3rd Annual Redhead Days

HIGHWOOD, IL — Extreme heat and high winds couldn't stop real redheads from coming out last weekend to gather for the 3rd annual Redhead Days Chicago festival in downtown Highwood. More than 2,000 reds and their friends gathered throughout the weekend, organizers estimated. After unofficially kicking off on Friday at Redhead Piano Bar Downtown Chicago with reds and their friends gathering for a giant redhead toast, the crowd moved to "Red headquarters" in downtown Highwood on Saturday and Sunday.

“For the third year in a row, the event experienced extreme weather from torrential downpours in 2014 and 2015 to record breaking heat in 2017,” said organizer Jim Stoecker, owner of Alex’s Washington Gardens and Ginger’s of Highwood. He said the event has had about 1,000 people show up each of the previous two years despite tough outdoor conditions.

“Our reds are loyal but perhaps we need to explore an indoor venue for our next gathering," he said.

Highlights of this year's Redhead Days included two days of live music, Buzzfeed Deputy Editorial Director Erin La Rosa (@SideofGinger on Twitter) reading excerpts of her “Inside the Secret Society of Red Hair: The Big Redhead Book”, red themed contests (including most reds in one family, reddest dog and longest red hair), local food vendors, beer, wine and other red-themed cocktails and soft drinks, a petting zoo, pony rides, bounce houses and other all ages activities.

More than 300 people registered (including visitors from Canada, Indiana, Georgia, Maine, Michigan and Virgina) for a group aerial photograph. Redheads were encouraged to come dressed in green to accentuate their hair.

And in the Carrot Cake Throwdown, Chicago-based Heather Sipe, of Miss Kitty’s Treats, was crowned winner of the best carrot cake in all of Chicagoland based on taste, texture, frosting and presentation.

The creator of the original Redhead Days (Roodharigendag) in Breda, Holland, Bart Rouwenhorst dreamed that his event could “some day expand to multiple events, maybe across the world.”

Highwood is the first official affiliate of Redhead Days, which takes place Sep. 1 through Sep. 4 this year. The Chicago area event was presented again by Alex’s Washington Gardens and Ginger’s of Highwood along with Redhead Piano Bar.

Stoecker said the goal of the event is celebrate everyone's differences, "It's a good thing to understand that people are different but yet we're all the same."

Top photo: Aerial photograph of redheads in Highwood | Credit: Ross Floyd