Skokie's Backlot Bash Kicks Off

SKOKIE, IL — Skokie's downtown street festival marking the end of summer is kicking off its eleventh year, with original music, a carnival, a series of races, comedy, culture, film and more. The main stage headliners are A Flock of Seagulls on Friday, Soul Asylum on Saturday and Tributosaurus as R.E.M. on Sunday. There's a total of 19 bands scheduled to play on two stages over the three-day festival, offering a broad variety of genres including jazz, blues, rock, folk and more.

There will be plenty of kid-friendly activities — a giant inflatable corn maze, a magic show and a Princesses & Heroes Show — as well as more adult attractions such as a classic auto show, a pancake breakfast with a bloody mary and mimosa bar, a bingo tent and a large beer tent. There will also be a dunk tank, classic films and free wax hand molds which could potentially appeal to people of all ages.

The event runs from 6-10 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturday and noon-8 p.m. on Sunday in downtown Skokie, on the corner of Floral Avenue and Oakton Street.

Check out the complete schedule of 2017 Skokie Backlot Bash events:

FRIDAY

• 6-10 p.m.
  • Carnival ($65 weekend Megapasses)
  • Beer & Food
  • Bingo Bash
  • Free! Mechanical Bull (presented by the Kiwanis Club of Skokie Valley & the Skokie Park District)
• 6:45 p.m.-8 p.m. – The Alarm (Welsh rockers known for hits "The Stand" and "68 Guns") at the main stage
• 8 p.m.-8:45 p.m. – Devil in a Woodpile (Roots) at the beer tent
• 8:45 p.m.-10 p.m. – A Flock of Seagulls (New wave rockers with the hits “I Ran,” and “Wishing.”) at the main stage

SATURDAY

• 6 a.m.—Backlot Dash 5K registration begins
• 8 a.m.—Kid’s Half Mile Race
• 8:30 a.m.—Backlot Dash 5K Run
• 11 a.m.-10 p.m. —Beer & Food
• 11 a.m.-5 p.m.—Sponsor & Community Resource Fair
• Noon-10 p.m.—Carnival ($25 wristband discount noon-4 p.m.)
• Noon–8 p.m.—Free! Giant Inflatable Corn Maze (presented by the Kiwanis Club of Skokie Valley & the Skokie Park District)
• Noon-6 p.m.—Skokie Heritage Museum open
• Noon-4 p.m.—Free Wax Hand Molds, sponsor tent
• Noon-3 p.m.—Historic Log Cabin open
• Noon-3 p.m.—Kids' Crafts, Library
• Noon—Classic Movie: The Philadelphia Story (1940) Library Auditorium
• Noon – Bach & Beethoven Ensemble: A Gaelic Summer, Beer Tent
• Noon—Chalk Artist, Shaun Hays
• 1-6 p.m.—Classic Auto Show
• 1-2 p.m. – Jodee Lewis Trio (Americana), Main Stage
• 2-10 p.m.—Bingo Bash!
• 2-6 p.m.—Dunk Tank presented by the D219 Dance Marathon & Education Foundation
• 2-6 p.m.—Bozo Buckets (presented by Relay for Life)
• 2-3 p.m.—Matt Hendricks & Cash Curtis (Blues), Beer Tent
• 2-3 p.m.—Knuckleball Comedy Improv, Library Auditorium
• 3-5:30 p.m.—Kids' Crafts, Heritage Museum
• 3-4 p.m.—Carsick (Rock), Main Stage
• 3:30-4 p.m.—Devonshire Dance Ensemble and Competition Team, Library Auditorium
• 4-5 p.m.—James Elkington (Pop/Folk), Beer Tent
• 4:30-5:30 p.m.—Gary Kantor’s Magic Show, Library Auditorium
• 5-6 p.m. – The Differents (Rock), Main Stage
• 6-7 p.m. – Barlow (Early Jazz & Country), Beer Tent
• 7-7:45 p.m.– Frisbie (Rock), Main Stage
• 8:30-10 p.m. – Soul Asylum (Rock), Main Stage

SUNDAY

• 7:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.—Farmer’s Market
• 8-11 a.m.—Pancake Breakfast with bloody marys & mimosas (presented by Rotary Club of Skokie Valley)
• 10 a.m.-noon—Bike Safety Fair at Oakton Community College
• Noon-8 p.m.—Carnival ($25 wristband discount noon-4 p.m)
• Noon-8 p.m.—Beer & Food
• Noon-6 p.m.—Skokie Heritage Museum open
• Noon–5 p.m.—Sponsor & Community Resource Fair
• Noon–5 p.m.—Free Eye Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy (presented by the Skokie Lions Club & Illinois Retina Associates, S.C.)
• Noon-4 p.m.—Free Wax Hand Molds, sponsor tent
• Noon-3 p.m.—Historic Log Cabin open
• Noon-3 p.m.—Kids' Crafts, Library
• Noon–Classic Movie: The Public Enemy (1931) Library Auditorium
• Noon-1 p.m. – Dueling Teles (Jazz/Blues), Beer Tent
• 1-2 p.m. – Luciano Antonio Trio (Brazilian Jazz), Main Stage
• 2-6 p.m.—Bingo Bash!
• 2-6 p.m.—Dunk Tank presented by the D219 Dance Marathon and Education Foundation
• 2-6 p.m.—Bozo Buckets (presented by Relay for Life)
• 2-6 p.m.—Classic Auto Show
• 2-3 p.m. – The Wandering Boys (Bluegrass), Beer Tent
• 2:30-3 p.m.–Supreme Dance, Library Auditorium
• 3-5:30 p.m.—Kids' Crafts, Heritage Museum
• 3-4 p.m. – The Frantastic Sound System (Zydeco), Main Stage
• 3:30-4 p.m.–The Best of Broadway by The Devonshire Playhouse, Library Auditorium
• 4-5 p.m. – Paul Kaye (Blues/Ragtime), Beer Tent
• 4:30-5:30 p.m. – Princesses & Heroes Show: starring Wonder Woman, Superman, Moana & The Little Mermaid. Includes a Meet & Greet
• 5-6 p.m. – Louie Zagoras & Rollover (Rock), Main Stage
• 6:30-8 p.m. – Tributosaurus becomes R.E.M. (Rock), Main Stage

» Find out more about the 2017 Backlot Bash from the Skokie Park District