Summer Sunset Festival In LITH Has Been Cancelled

LAKE IN THE HILLS, IL — The Lake in the Hills Summer Sunset Festival has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, village officials said. The festival had been scheduled to take place on Sept. 4 to 6 at Sunset Park and would've marked the 20th anniversary of the festival.

The decision to cancel the festival came after careful consideration of the safety of attendees, volunteers, and entertainers and of the “Restore Illinois” guidelines issued by the State of Illinois," according to a village of Lake in the Hills news release.

The festival's committee pushed back the decision to cancel the festival for as long as possible as organizers continued to check in with the state to see if guidelines surrounding its reopening plan would allow for this year's Sunset Fest to move forward. But under Gov. J.B. Pritzker's reopening plan, the festival could not be allowed until Phase 5.

“We are of course very disappointed to have to cancel. This is an event we all take great pride in and love to put on for our residents,” said Ray Bogdanowski, the chairperson for the festival and a trustee for the village of Lake in the Hills. “As much as we have looked forward to this festival, especially on an anniversary year, we have to keep the safety and well-being of our community as the top priority.”

Typically, the festival takes place over Labor Day weekend each year and is free to attend. The
Summer Sunset Festival Committee looks forward to the return of the event in 2021.