Skokie to celebrate summer with annual Backlot Bash Aug. 23-25

It’s that time of the year when children are heading back to school and stores will soon be swapping backpacks for Halloween decorations, but it’s still summer in Skokie as the town anticipates the Backlot Bash.

Skokie’s late summer celebration is returning this year from Aug. 23-25 to downtown Skokie on Oakton Street. The three-day festival will feature live music ranging from hip hop, blues, folk, alternative rock, pop and country. This year’s bash will include a beer tent, the farmer’s market and a mimosa and Bloody Mary bar, 5k Run and Half Mile Youth Color Fun Run, carnival and bingo.

The musical headliners are Grammy award winners Arrested Development on Aug. 23 at 8:45 p.m., Tonic on Aug. 24 at 8:30 p.m., and Tributosaurus will be covering music from The Kinks to close the festival on Aug. 25 at 6:30 p.m.

The festival will have 11 food vendors serving a variety of food including classic carnival food, Greek food and barbecue. Buona Beef, one of the festival’s sponsors, will also send a food truck, said Breanne Labus, the Skokie Park District’s superintendent of recreation. The beer tent will feature seltzers and Sketchbook Brewing will bring its Mexican lager Amistosa and West Coast I.P.A. Orange Door.

The Super Fan pass was rebranded as a BLB VIP experience for $25 for adults over 21 and $15 for children under 21 per day or $60 for all three days for adults and $30 for all three days for children. The perks of VIP include access to an exclusive seating area near the Heil and Heil Main Stage, free dinner from a local restaurant, unlimited water, soda and popsicles, an event t-shirt and private restrooms.

The Kid’s Half Mile Color Fun Run will take place at 8 a.m. on Aug. 24 and will be followed by the Backlot Dash 5K Run at 8:30 a.m.

The Rotary Club of Skokie will host the Pancake Breakfast with Bloody Marys and mimosas at $8 per person. Face painting, hair wraps and henna will be provided by Niles Township High School District 219. Donations will be accepted for the Chicago Refugee Coalition. Gary Kantor will be performing walk around magic from 2:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 24 and 25.

The Skokie Heritage Museum will do a walking tour of downtown Skokie on Aug. 24 at 10:30 a.m., said Labus. Tickets will be sold for $5.

Entrance to the Backlot Bash is free, and the event is scheduled to go on rain or shine. An estimated 30,000 people are expected to attend the event. A two-block portion of Oakton Street between Lincoln and Laramie Avenues will be closed, along with a one block section of Floral Avenue between Oakton Street and Brown Street from Aug. 22 at 10 a.m. to Aug. 26 at 2 a.m. Parking will be available at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, St. Paul Lutheran Church, the northwest corner of Elmwood Street and Warren Street and Babb Avenue and Louise Street one block south of Ace Hardware.

Backlot Bash is sponsored by the Skokie Park District, Skokie Public Library, Village of Skokie, Niles Township High School District 219 and the Skokie Chamber of Commerce.

For a full schedule of events, visit backlotbash.com.