Festival chairperson Paula Sabatino laughs when she wonders if organizers turned down the band 17 years ago, when Summerfest first started.
At that time, Billy Corgan, lead singer of the now-defunct group, would have been in high school. Corgan is a Glendale Heights native who graduated from Glenbard North High School in 1985.
"Maybe we said 'no' because of their hard rock sound," Sabatino speculated.
But organizers still look for local talent to play at Summerfest, and that is one of the many attractions that keeps Glendale Heights residents coming back each year. Summerfest 2000 starts today at 6 p.m. when VFW Post 2377 raises the flag at Camera Park.
This year's festival features an almost entirely new lineup of bands. The only repeat is Infinity, which plays at 8 p.m. on Saturday. The bands may not be big, brand-name entertainment, but people enjoy the music just as much, Sabatino said. Seventh Heaven, a band from Schaumburg that performs at 8 p.m. on Friday, is very popular in the area.
"They're very big in the college scene and the clubs," she said. "They're really good."
Besides live music, Summerfest also features carnival rides, food vendors and an arts and crafts booth sponsored by GlenOaks Hospital. This year, the cost of the carnival rides increased slightly, but the festival still is a good deal, said Sabatino, adding that there is no admission fee.
The village's main moneymaker is the carnival, Sabatino said. Wristbands that allow unlimited rides during designated times are $14.
Festival organizers hope to bring in $200,000 this year, topping last year's $156,000.
The highlight of the festival will be the closing fireworks on Sunday. Sabatino said this year's display will top even last year's 40th anniversary celebration.
"I think our fireworks are going to be out of this world," she said.
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