Wonder Lake Independence Day fest kicks off Friday with village taking bigger role

The biggest change to Wonder Lake’s Independence Day celebration is that it now occurs inside the village.

Because Hancock Drive is now inside village limits, it allows the village to be more involved with the annual event set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, explained Joe Houston, committee member and a Wonder Lake trustee. The street, the heart of the village’s commercial district, was annexed in February.

“Hancock Drive coming into the village is a big step,” Houston said. “Overall it is making the celebration bigger and better than it has been in previous years.”

Another change, according to village Trustee and Independence Day Committee Chairman John Tollini, is that policing now will be provided by the Wonder Lake Police Department, rather than the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office. Emergency responders are also using the former Dockside restaurant at 4106 East Lake Shore Drive as their command center during the event, Houston said.

The Wonder Lake Police Department and the Wonder Lake Fire District “will have facilities there, right in the heart of everything,” Houston said, due to help from building owner Tom Cooper.

Since the annexation, Wonder Lake, which, based on newly released Census data, is now the fastest-growing community in Illinois, has approved new village ordinances for the businesses now inside its boundaries. That includes giving East End Pizza and Ice Cream permits to host music and a have a beer tent during the events, Houston said. Before a recent amendment to the ordinance, Wonder Lake did not allow outside sales of alcohol at open-air events, Houston said.

Schedule of events

The weekend’s events kick off Friday with Wonder Lake’s Venetian Night. There is no beach access for nonresidents to watch the boat parade.

Events Saturday include:

• Food trucks from local vendors on Hancock Drive and two Kids Zone activity and game areas at 7604 Hancock Drive, with a live DJ, and at Alibi Pub and Grub, 4117 East Wonder Lake Road.
• Dunk tank with village officials and businesspeople from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., East End Pizza and Ice Cream, 7431 Hancock Drive. Live bands are set to play there from 6 to 9 p.m.
• The parade, with grand marshals Dan Dycus, village president, and Brad Dennison, Master Property Owners Association president, kicks off at 1 p.m., starting at Christ the King Catholic Church, 5006 East Wonder Lake Road, and ending at Wonder Center Beach.
• The Wonder Lake Water Show Ski Team performs at 4:30 p.m. The Wonder Center Beach at East Lake Shore and Hancock drives will be open to the public to watch the team perform, as it is on Fridays throughout the summer.

Events Sunday include a car show at East End Pizza and the adjacent parking lot, and free pontoon rides from 2 to 4 p.m. from the Wonder Lake Yacht Club, staring at Wonder Lake Marina, 4019 East Lake Shore Drive.

During the half-hour trip around the lake, riders can learn about the private lake’s history, Tollini said.

A full schedule can be found at the Wonder Lake Independence Day Celebration Facebook page.