Oak Lawn’s village green was humming with classic rock and country music while the smell of grilling meat hung in the air. Hundreds of residents, many decked out in patriotic T-shirts, turned out for Saturday’s Fourth of July parade followed by the evening show opposite City Hall. It could have been any small town on any given Fourth of July weekend.
Except, of course, for last year—a year shut down, a year without public celebrations as communities masked up and laid low under the threat of the deadly COVID-19 virus.
There were virtually no masks Saturday, save one or two among the food workers, and residents said they weren’t nervous or hesitant about getting out and mingling. A year without summer festivals felt like a long time.
“We’re glad we could do something like this,” John Steiner said. And, he added, he was happy most people were vaccinated and the pandemic guidelines were largely gone because it meant he didn’t have to worry about going to summer festivals or being out in public.
“I don’t fear COVID-19 because I’ve been vaccinated and almost everyone else has been,” he said. “Now I’m more afraid of catching the common cold.”
Life, he said, is back to normal and he’s happy to celebrate that.
“The last year and a half was crazy with all the different rules,” Steiner said.
Steiner wasn’t alone in his confidence.
“We’re all vaccinated, and I feel like we’re on the right side of the pandemic,” said Tom Walsh, who attended the evening entertainment with his wife and two sons.
The evening was about perfect for a concert. With no threat of rain and with temperatures in the 80s, residents said they loved just being outside.
“The weather is great, and Oak Lawn always puts on such a good show and a great parade,” said Donna Suchoski. She said even strangers were coming up and saying hello—just happy to talk to other people again.
“It feels great,” she said. “People are coming by and talking, and everyone’s so happy. It’s just nice.”
Residents weren’t the only ones thrilled to be back out and about.
Andy Linder, a regional performer and hacky sack (or foot bag) champion said he was thrilled to perform for crowds again after a yearlong hiatus. Linder has been performing stunts with his beanbags since 1981.
“I was a soccer player and I was going to try to break the world record for keeping a soccer ball in the air, but then I had a knee injury so I switched to this,” he said. “It’s easier on the knees.”
Linder still managed to set a record though. In 1992, the Tribune reported Linder and another man set the Guinness Book of World Records world record for keeping a footbag airborne for over 12-and-a-half hours one October day in Mount Prospect.
He’s something of a celebrity in the hacky sack world. He’s had his own signature line of bags and he’s appeared in commercials and in 1993 he was featured on the Bozo the Clown Show with two other footbaggers—all clad in custom-made Windy City Kickers Footbag Pro Demo Team shirts. The shirts were something of a gag—there is no professional footbag league—but Linder said he and the other two men still perform together on occasion.
Most summers, Linder said he tours around the Midwest, wowing audiences with a combination of juggling and more traditional hacking tricks at festival, but that hit a speed bump last year.
“Everyone canceled last year,” he said.
Linder said it’s still early this year, but he’s getting bookings. On Sunday, July 4, he was scheduled to appear in Glen Ellyn.
“I’ve had a few events this year and it’s been fun,” he said.
This will not be the last event at the Village Green as Oak Lawn officials have a full schedule of events planned.
These include a variety of teen artist performances July 11 and the band Five Guys Named Moe July 25. Other events include movies at dusk later in the month. The events begin at 7 p.m.
Jesse Wright is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
