5 things to do in McHenry County: McHenry County Fair and more community events
1. Celebrate 75 years of McHenry County Fair: McHenry County Fair will have events, shows and live music all week until Sunday in Woodstock.
The McHenry County Fair, at 11900 Country Club Road, will celebrate seven decades of music with five bands performing back-to-back on Saturday. Other standout events include Windy City Pro Wrestling coming to the fair for the first time Thursday and the Illini State Pullers with tractor pull shows Sunday.
Competitions, games, bingo and contests pack the county fair schedule. Visit mchenrycountyfair.com for information and schedule details.
2. Double feature: Head to the McHenry Outdoor Theater on Friday to watch “Barbie” followed by “Meg 2: The Trench” at the drive-in starting at 8:30 p.m. “Barbie” was extended another week at the theater.
Arrive early before the movies start to participate in trivia and other games for prizes at 7 p.m. The pre-movie party is hosted by the McHenry Area Rotary to promote its upcoming event, “Bands, Brews & BBQ.” Prizes include ticket packages and VIP tickets to the festival, Aug. 18 to 20 at Petersen Park in McHenry. Other prizes include season passes to McHenry Outdoor Theater and merchandise.
For information, visit goldenagecinemas.com.
3. Splash party at Sunburst Bay: Enjoy a back-to-school splash party Saturday at Sunburst Bay Aquatic Center in Cary.
This free event will be an all-day party from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Kids of all ages can enjoy music from a DJ, a freeze dance competition and a trivia contest. Kona Ice will be on-site to sell sweet treats. Lifeguards will be there to give safety demonstrations. Visit carypark.com/rccms/sunburst-bay-aquatic-center for details.
4. Craft beer festival: Spring Grove will host its first craft beer tasting event this Saturday at Hatchery Park. The event will have nine craft beer vendors sampling brews including Scorched Earth, Crystal Lake Brewing, Kishwaukee Brewing and Pratt Brewing.
Live music will be performed by Amy Rose Music. Food trucks Saylor Mick’s Pizza & Pub and 15 Lakes Mobile Bistro also will be on-site. Volunteers of the Hatchery will give guided tours of the historic Hatchery Building.
Tickets are $45 and can be bought at the Spring Grove Village Hall or at the gate. Visit springgrovevillage.com/craft-beer-tasting for details.
5. National Night Out: Join in on a community cookout with the Lake in the Hills Police Department on Saturday at the Irv Floress Safety Education Center. The free event will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will have free hot dogs, chips and beverages.
Residents and families can meet with village officials, police officers and members of the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District. Attendees will be able to get up close with a LifeNet helicopter, patrol car robot and other fire and police vehicles. Other highlights include a K-9 demonstration, trying on a pair of fatal vision impairment goggles and meeting with an evidence technician. For details visit lith.org/government/departments/police/programs-and-events/national-night-out-community-cookout.
• Would you like your event included in this weekly feature? The first step is submitting your events to the Northwest Herald’s community calendar at shawlocal.com/northwest-herald/local-events/ where they are then considered for inclusion in this feature.
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correct the movies playing Friday night at the McHenry Outdoor Theater. “Barbie” followed by “Meg 2: The Trench” will play at the drive-in starting at 8:30 p.m. “Barbie” was extended another week at the theater.