Oak Lawn Fall On the Green 2017 Survival Guide

OAK LAWN, IL -- Oak Lawn’s Fall On the Green Festival celebrates its 22nd anniversary of bringing autumnal joy to the south suburbs on the village’s bucolic green at 95th Street and Cook Avenue. Fall On the Green has grown into the one of the biggest and most popular outdoor festivals in the Southland, traditionally falling on the first weekend after Labor Day in September. The 2017 edition runs Friday through Sunday, Sept. 8, 9 and 10. Admission and rides are entirely free. Leave your dogs, cats, ferrets and other pets at home.

New this year is the revived Teen Battle of the Bands playing under the big top on the Oak Lawn Village Green starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9. Six bands will each play 20-minute sets for a panel of judges. The winner will play the main stage from noon to 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, as well as a chance to compete in the 2018 Illinois State Fair teen band battle.

We’ve organized your band and food court lineups, shuttle bus departures and other highlights so they can be pulled up easily on your mobile phone.

The Rundown

• Times: 6 p.m. to midnight Friday, Sept. 8; 11 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, Sept. 9; and 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 10.

• Parking/shuttle bus: Free parking is available at the Oak Lawn Metra Station parking tower at 95th Street and Museum Drive. A free shuttle bus courtesy of the Village of Oak Lawn will leave every quarter hour beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Board the bus next to the train station parking tower.

• Food: Bring your appetite to Fall on the Green’s Progressive Energy Group Food Court featuring a wide selection of fair food. Soft drinks also are available. Featured vendors include: Bo’s Concession, Buddy’s Italian Ice, Christensen’s Popcorn Wagon, Genoa’s, Good Humor Ice Cream Gourmet Delights, J.S. Concessions, K9 For Veterans/PAWS Illinois, Lucky Burrito, New China Express, Nothing Bundt Cakes, O’Brian’s, Original Rainbow Cone, Palermo’s, Peppos Street, Catherine’s Shaved Ice, Texas Corral, The Whistle Bloomin’ Onion/Boneless Wings, Bundtins, and carnival fare.
• Beverages: Lakeshore Beverage Beer Tent for your favorite domestic, microbrews and wine. Watch the games on big screen TVs, buy raffle tickets and enjoy live music.

• Senior Hospitality Tent: Take a load off at the Oak Lawn Bank and Trust Senior Hospitality Tent. Stop by to play bingo and enjoy a cup of coffee. Bingo hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

• Children’s Activities: Kids won’t get bored when the see the array of children’s activities in the Christopher Burke Engineering Children’s/ Pre-Teen area, including Moon Jumps, Obstacle Challenge, Double Slide, Eurobungy, Climbing Wall and Wrecking Ball.
• Teen Activities: The Republic Services teen area features a climbing wall, wrecking ball and Eurobungy -- perfect for working out teen angst. NEW THIS YEAR: DJ and karaoke, sure to drive the old folks crazy.

• Business tent: Learn why it’s best to shop in Oak Lawn by visiting the Business Tent featuring many of the village’s vibrant small businesses and other fine area vendors.

• Entertainment: The music is non-stop at Fall On the Green’s in the Lakeshore Beverage Co. Beer Garden, Gazebo and the Oak Lawn Bank and Trust Main Stage. There is a genre for every musical taste in your family, from alternative rock and country, to rock covers and Celtic rock.
• Shameless plugs: We want these fine sponsors to keep Fall On the Green free and going for another 22 years: Oak Lawn Bank and Trust, Robin Realty, First Midwest Bank, Christopher B. Burke Engineering LLC, TOPS/Total Parking Solutions, Hawk Ford, Progressive Energy Group, Al Warren Oil Corp, Lakeshore Beverage, Mancari Jeep Dodge Chrysler, RSM, CDM Smith, Proven Business Systems, Norcomm Public Safety Communications, Republic Services, Black Oak Bar and Grill, Airy’s Inc. of Tinley Park, Advocate Christ Medical Center and Peterson Johnson Murray.

The Bands

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

• Teen Battle of the Bands (under the tent on Raymond Avenue), 6:30 to 10 p.m.
• Bernie Glim, 6 to 8 p.m. Beer Tent (country rock)
• Boy Band Night, 8 to 10 p.m. Main Stage (boy band tribute)
• Sean and Charlie, 10 p.m. to midnight, Beer Tent (variety)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

• The Cousins, 11 a.m. to noon, Beer Tent (acoustic)
• Motel Breakfast, noon to 1:30 p.m., Main Stage (rock/folk rock)
• Drop Top, 1:30 to 3 p.m., Beer Tent (modern country/pop/rock)
• Electricland, 3 to 4 p.m., Beer Tent (classic rock/current)
• Scarlett Drive, 4:30 to 6 p.m., Main Stage (country)
• Strung Out, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Beer Tent (70s)
• American English, 7:30 to 10 p.m. Main Stage (Beatles tribute)
• Anthem, 10 p.m. to midnight, Beer Tent (classic rock)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

• ****WINNER of Battle of the Bands, Smokena on the Water, 11 a.m. to noon, Main Stage. (NOTE time correction.)
• The Four C Notes, 12:30 to 2 p.m., Main Stage (Jersey Boys Cover)
• The Hat Guys, 2 to 3:30 p.m., Beer Tent (all genres)
• Rendition, 3:30 to 5:45 p.m., Main Stage (all genres)
• The Walk-Ins, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Beer Test (country/party/top 10)