Lake Forest Day Parade Gets Refresh In 118th Year

LAKE FOREST, IL — Lake Forest will mark its 118th Lake Forest Day on Tuesday, Aug. 4, and Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, with two days of community events centered on West Park.

The annual celebration, hosted by American Legion McKinlock Post 264, includes a carnival, a 5K Fun Run, a free pre-parade family party and the Lake Forest Day Parade.

Lake Forest Day has been observed on the first Tuesday and Wednesday of August for 118 years.

Originally held on the first Wednesday in August because many local businesses would take the afternoons off, the first Lake Forest Day in 1908 featured a mind-reading dog, a hot air balloon and a cutest baby contest, according to the History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff.

It was initially organized by the Lake Forest Women's Club to raise money for a new hospital at the request of the Young Men's Club, which then began organizing it itself.

In 1921, the American Legion McKinlock Post 264 began sponsoring the celebration as its main annual fundraiser, according to the center. The Lake Forest Day Foundation was founded in 2007 to assist with organizing responsibilities.

The schedule begins Tuesday, Aug. 4, with a carnival at West Park from 6 to 10 p.m. featuring music by CROYA’s Jam Band. Events continue Wednesday, Aug. 5, starting with the 5K Fun Run at 7 a.m. at Deerpath Community Park.

A free pre-parade family party is scheduled from 8 to 10 a.m. in Market Square. The event will include balloons, bubbles and complimentary mini bagels from Once Upon a Bagel.

The Lake Forest Day Parade starts at 10 a.m. and will follow a new route this year. The parade will begin at the intersection of Deerpath Road and Oakwood Avenue and proceed east on Deerpath Road to Western Avenue, where it will continue along the traditional parade route to Westminster and West Park.

The carnival returns to West Park from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

More information about the celebration is available at LakeForestDay.com.