The city of Lockport will once again host its summer festival, Old Canal Days, downtown from June 11 to 14, with food, fireworks, live music and, for the first time, a drone show.

The drone show will kick off the festival on Thursday at 10 p.m.

According to the Old Canal Days website, the show is the first of its kind in the region and features “hundreds of coordinated drones creating shapes, symbols, and scenes that celebrate Lockport, canal history, and festival traditions,” and will be viewable from the main stage area as well as the festival greens and walkways.

The 13-minute show is set to music and was custom created for Lockport by Chicago Drone Light Shows, with a patriotic emphasis to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the U.S.A.

“We want to bring a new wow to the community,” said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Beth Mrozek. “We love our fireworks, but this type of show is highly inclusive as it doesn’t cause any distress to those with sensory sensitivities.”

In addition to the drone show, the festival will also feature its traditional fireworks show on Sunday night to close the event at 9:30 p.m. and a parade on Saturday at 6 p.m.

The parade, which will commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, will proceed north along State Street from the Metra Station to 2nd Street.

Street closures will begin at noon on Friday to accommodate the parade.

Carnival

Attendees will be able to enjoy carnival rides, shopping, historic tours, live music and other novelties.

The carnival schedule will be:

• 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Thursday
• 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday
• 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday
• 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday

Before the festival opens on Thursday, the carnival will also be open from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for “friends with disabilities” which permits individuals with disabilities and up to five relatives to experience the carnival with fewer crowds and a calmer environment.

Registration for friends with disabilities must be completed by Friday, June 5.

Food and drink

A food court, as well as beer, wine and spirits tents will be available each day during the events.

Bands and live entertainment

Many bands will take the stage at the festival throughout the weekend.

Thursday

• 6 p.m., Friday at 5
• 8 p.m., Breakfast Club

Friday

• 7 p.m., Tim Gleason Band
• 9:30 p.m., Tennessee Whiskey

Saturday

• Noon, School of Rock Mokena
• 2 p.m., Hoodwinked
• 4:30 p.m., Sparks Fly
• 7 p.m., Beyond the Blonde
• 9:30 p.m., Arra

Sunday

• 10 a.m., worship service from Lockport’s Cross Point Church
• 11:30 a.m., Band of Brothers Pipes and Drums
• Noon, Lockport Township High School acapella vocalists
• 1 p.m., Cat’s Eye
• 3 p.m., Johnny Lyons and the Pride
• 5 p.m., Funk’d Up
• 7:30 p.m., 90’s Pop Nation

Additionally, children’s entertainment will be available in Heritage Village on Saturday and Sunday, including: face painting, a petting zoo, caricature artists, character meet and greets with Spiderman and Disney princesses Ariel and Elsa, duck races and Mary Macaroni’s Kids’ Entertainment, who will perform at 4 p.m. both days.

Artisan fair and history tours

Opportunities for two different historic tours will be available on Saturday and Sunday during the event.

Both days, cemetery tours will be available twice, with transport for the tour departing Heritage Village at 10:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.

Additionally, the Lockport Area Genealogical and Historical Society will be running narrated bus tours of the historic downtown area between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. both days. Those tours will also depart from Heritage Village.

The Lockport Women’s Club also will sponsor an artisan market at the festival on Saturday and Sunday, which will feature vendors selling a variety of homemade art, jewelry, home decor, gifts, artisan foods and unique crafts.

The artisan market will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.