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Pleasant Dale Park District hosts fireworks celebration
Day Campers paint a sign with their fingers and red, white and blue paints. Pleasant Dale Park District's Day Camp students painted Fourth of July signs for Walker Park on Friday. | Jon Langham~for Sun-Times Media
Updated: July 29, 2012 6:12AM
Fourth of July festivities begin today (July 3) in Burr Ridge, where the Pleasant Dale Park District will celebrate with fireworks beginning at dusk on Tuesday, July 3.
Chris Yesutis of the park district staff said the decision was made last year to move the annual fireworks ahead a day.
“We felt having it a day beforehand would give families more time to spend together on the actual holiday,” she said.
Walker Park, at 74th Street and Wolf Road, will open at 5 p.m. with food and festivities.
“We’ll be selling snow cones, glow sticks, popcorn and cotton candy,” Yesutis said.
Local vendors also will sell food. Ledo’s Pizza and Sma’s Hotdogs will be on hand, as well as Bo’s Concessions, which will sell fresh-squeezed lemonade and funnel cakes.
Families are invited to come out to the park, stake out their spot for the fireworks, and then enjoy refreshments until show time.
While the fireworks show is free, parking can be a challenge. Those who want to make the task of parking a little easier can buy a VIP parking pass from the park district for $20. The pass entitles the holder to a spot in Walker Park’s north and south parking lots. Passes are available at the park district, 7425 S. Wolf Road, Burr Ridge.
Boy Scout Troop 69 of St. Helena’s Church will hold its 13th annual Fourth of July Pancake Breakfast in Walker Park on July 4. Guests can enjoy all the pancakes, sausage, eggs, fruit, juice and coffee they want from 7:30-11 a.m. Tickets are $5, available at the door. Other foods, including made-to-order eggs and egg strata, also are available at an additional cost.
Profits from the annual breakfast help the troop, which serves boys in Burr Ridge, Countryside and Willow Springs, pay for the troop’s camping program and community service projects.
Kathy Thalji, adult volunteer with Boy Scout Troop 69, said the breakfast is a time-honored annual event.
“Local residents have made this event a tradition,” Thalji said.
The morning’s activities also include a raffle and bake sale.
Burr Ridge Deputy Police Chief Tim Vaclav reminds holiday revelers to leave the fireworks to the professionals.
“All fireworks are illegal in Illinois,” Vaclav said. Readily available items, such as snake or glow worm pellets, smoke devices, party poppers and sparklers are not classified as fireworks.
He said Burr Ridge police will enforce the law if needed.
“Every year we do get fireworks complaints and take whatever action is warranted,” he said.
Possession of fireworks is a petty offense for less than 1 pound, a class B misdemeanor for 1 to 3 pounds and a class A misdemeanor for more than 3 pounds.
