Suburbs celebrate the Fourth of July

From parades to foot races, festivals to fireworks shows, people throughout the suburbs celebrated Independence Day Friday at a variety of events.

Elgin kicked off the morning at 9 a.m. with the city’s second Pet Parade starting at the Northeast Neighborhood Association Butterfly Garden at Ann Street and Douglas Avenue.

Arlington Heights celebrated its Fourth of July Parade — one of many across the suburbs — that included a kids’ bike parade, as Frontier Days saluted a theme of 100 years of the Arlington Heights Park District.

At the four-day fest, the BoDeans capped off Friday’s entertainment, among several bands at the fest.

As with Frontier Days, in Mount Prospect the holiday marked only the halfway point of the Mount Prospect Lions Club’s Fourth of July Festival. After Friday, two more days remain of carnival rides, food and music at Melas Park.

Folks seeking striking views and even solemn inspiration on the Fourth of July came to Seven Gables Park in Wheaton for the final day of the “Field of Honor,” where 2,000 American flags flew in formation representing servicemen and women both active and fallen.

However, in Lake Zurich, officials announced shortly before 10 a.m. that its 9:15 p.m. fireworks show at Paulus Park would be canceled. They came to the decision after morning rain expected to continue, conversation with the fireworks company, and seeking to “keep everyone safe.”

The village later issued an email stating the intensity and duration of the morning rain made it impossible to load the barges with the fireworks.

Lake Zurich officials said the fireworks will be used next year “in a more extensive and spectacular display commemorating 250 years of the United States of America.”

Rain did delay the start of the Des Plaines Independence Day Parade by a half-hour, backing it up to 10:30 a.m.

Meanwhile, after initially postponing its parade, Vernon Hills canceled its parade due to inclement weather and the withdrawal of several parade participants, the village stated on social media.