Downers Grove’s annual Rotary Grove Fest kicks off Thursday

Several weeks after the conclusion of last summer’s Rotary GroveFest, the about 70+ members of the Downers Grove Rotary Club got to work planning this year’s event.

Following the Rotarian motto “service over self,” Rotarians Lisa Rasin and Keith Hoffman shared that making Rotary GroveFest happen is “truly a club effort” – all to benefit local and international nonprofits as well as fund scholarships for local high school seniors attending college or trade school.

With more than 20,000 attendees expected over the festival’s four days, the event will kick off in the evening Thursday, June 19, and run through Sunday, June 22.

The downtown Downers Grove festival includes entertainment, food, business and nonprofit booths and carnival rides – something for all types of festivalgoers to enjoy.

This year alone, the Rotary Club of Downers Grove awarded $75,000 in scholarship money to students from Downers Grove South, Downers Grove North and St. Ignatius College Prep.

This includes money awarded to the winners of the Charles Dickerman Memorial Music Scholarship and the skilled trades/certificate program.

The Rotary Club added scholarships for students entering trade schools a few years ago.

“It is important to recognize our students that are choosing trade schools because that is just as important and significant,” Rasin said.

Other local organizations that benefit from money raised at Rotary GroveFest include Boy Scouts, the Education Foundation of Downers Grove District 58, the Diveheart Foundation and the Downers Grove Area FISH Food Pantry.

In addition, proceeds from GroveFest benefit other large-scale Rotary initiatives including its polio eradication effort, Africa’s Water for Life project and the Rotary Foundation.

Hoffman said he took a trip to Malawi in Africa with the Rotary Club.

“Our club alone donated $22,000 to drill another three additional wells” in one of the poorest countries in the world, Hoffman said.

Hoffman, who has been a Rotarian since 1978, said the group is involved in a variety of efforts locally but also is “saving lives around the world.”

At this year’s festival, the Rotary Club will announce the impact grant recipients for nonprofit groups that are helped after volunteering their time at the event.

Immediately after the festival “we have a celebration breakfast and a debriefing to set the stage for potential changes” and set their sights on next year’s efforts,“ Hoffman said.

Between 400 to 500 volunteers representing local nonprofits lend their time at Rotary GroveFest and in return their organizations receive a monetary stipend.

Last year, more than $20,000 was dispersed back to the community organizations whose members volunteered their time at GroveFest, Rasin said.

This year’s GroveFest will include a new “craft beer corner” in the beer garden featuring two local breweries – Alter Brewing and Goldfinger Brewing, Rasin said.

In addition, “Pierce Tavern will feature two special cocktails,” she said.

Six local restaurants – Sharkos BBQ, Al’s Pizzeria, Wells Street Popcorn, Every Day’s a Sundae, Carnivore and the Queen and The Outpost Mexican Eatery – and Pierce Tavern will sell food in the beer garden.

The carnival features 20 rides for adventure seekers and “is a big draw,” Hoffman said. Thrill-seekers can buy tickets on-site at the event.

The entertainment area and beer garden, which has a $5 cover charge, includes a variety of music including D.J. Dirty Donuts, local bands and classic rock cover bands.

From Friday through Sunday, nonprofits will be on hand for festivalgoers to learn about their organizations.

A worship service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, the Festival of Cars will be held on the north side of the train tracks.

The festival couldn’t take place without its many sponsors, along with the support of the entire Downers Grove community including the village, local businesses and the police and public works departments, Rasin said.

“It is all about community,” she said.