Find “Everything You Want” at this year’s Lakeside Festival in Crystal Lake.

The alternative rock band behind Billboard’s most-played single in 2000, Vertical Horizon, will perform July 2 on opening day of “the granddaddy of all festivals,” expected to once again draw 50,000 people to Crystal Lake.

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Along with the live music, the festival features a Taste by the Lake, beer/wine/tropical drink gardens, a carnival, a parade, fireworks and tours of the Dole Mansion through July 5 at Lakeside Legacy Arts Park, 401 Country Club Road.

“It’s a tradition to many in the community and a highlight of their summer,” said Siobhan Cottone, executive director of Lakeside Legacy Foundation, which oversees the festival as Lakeside’s largest fundraiser of the year.

“Everyone looks forward to it. It’s family-friendly, so we have a lot of families that come from out of state, family reunions, high school reunions, great food, a carnival, great live music.”

Releasing the album “Everything You Want” in 1999, Vertical Horizon’s title track went on to capture the top spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 and Adult Top 40 charts.

With lead singer and songwriter Matt Scannell – also known for collaborating with Richard Marx – at the helm, Vertical Horizon (www.verticalhorizon.com) released its latest album, "Echoes from The Underground," in 2013 and has been touring since.

The band is one of numerous bands scoped out by festival co-chairman Ron Russell, who often travels to performances throughout the year to hand-pick bands for the festival.

“I make my rounds,” he said.

“We always want a variety, from country music to classic rock to more modern, as well as this year, we’ve added a hip hop rap group.”

Russell saw DNK, a Nashville-based pop rap duo, perform at a college campus and thought they’d be enjoyed by the festival’s younger crowd.

Other bands include the country cover band Suburban Cowboys and up-and-coming country artist Ty Bates, along with some repeat and well-known area performers, such as Pirates Over 40, Hi Infidelity, Modern Day Romeos, Tropixplosion, U2 Zoo, 7th Heaven, Dangerous Joes and What About This, which features Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley.

It takes more than 350 volunteers to pull off the festival, Cottone said, and sponsorship from local community businesses has grown this year.

“We do not take it for granted, the amount of support we get,” he said. “It’s amazing how much the community believes in this.”