Day in the Park Returns to Indian Oaks Park July 11

The Marengo Park District's Day in the Park is back Saturday, July 11, from 4 to 11 p.m. at Indian Oaks Park, 825 Indian Oaks Trail. Admission is free, with donations appreciated. The evening has a little of everything: a kids' play zone, petting zoo, beer tent, food trucks, live music, and fireworks at 9.

Early arrivals (4 to 6 p.m.) get Touch-a-Truck and the petting zoo. A mechanical bull, dunk tanks, and student basketball contests (a 3-point shootout at 5, 3-on-3 at 6) fill out the evening, and more than a dozen food trucks serve from 4 to 9. The music builds through the night: Jack Beltz at 4:30, Southbound Chicago at 6:30, and Wildwood Country from 8:30 to close.

Pulling it off takes hands. Organizers say they're "in dire need" of 50-plus volunteers and are asking residents to claim a two-hour shift on the Day in the Park volunteer page. The district is also raising $25,000 to cover the day's costs, about $13,000 of it for the fireworks alone, and thanked everyone who has already pitched in.