Celebrate Independence Day at Cantigny Park!
 Celebrate Independence Day at Cantigny Park!
Cantigny Park will be alive with patriotic sights, sounds and activities for the whole family on Independence Day. Continuing an annual tradition, events and parking will be free at Cantigny on Wednesday, July 4th.
The park will open at 7 am; special holiday programming is from noon to 4 pm.
Independence Day at Cantigny is always fun and exciting for kids. The Robert R. McCormick Museum will host arts and crafts on the mansion’s south porch starting at noon. On the Cantigny Parade Field, Revolutionary War reenactors will fire a real cannon and supervise 18th-century games. Kids can also celebrate freedom by adding their “John Hancocks” to a replica Declaration of Independence.
Inflatables will be set up for sliding and jumping, and John Measner will perform 30-minute magic shows starting at 12:30 and 2:15 pm. Aspiring young artists can help paint the 20-foot Cantigny mural.
At 3 pm, the Southwest Community Concert Band will perform patriotic music in front of the First Division Museum. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating, and picnics are welcome.
In special celebration of Independence Day, the Freedom Express will be parked outside the Cantigny Visitors Center and open from 9 am to 3:30 pm. The 400-square-foot mobile museum tells the story of our First Amendment freedoms through compelling interactive exhibits. Illinois residents can also register to vote!
The First Division Museum and McCormick Museum will each be open on July 4th from 10 am to 5 pm. At the former, visitors will be able to purchase a personalized WWII-era “dog tag” and see it created on a vintage machine.
As always, admission to each of Cantigny’s history-rich museums is free, and likewise there is no charge to stroll through the park’s 30 acres of colorful and serene gardens. Another favorite attraction is the large and shaded picnic area.
Inside the Visitors Center, Le Jardin will serve lunch from 11 am to 3 pm, and Bertie’s (for ice cream, snacks and coffee drinks) will operate from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Outdoor concessions will also be available.
Cantigny Park is open every day during summer from 7 am to dusk. A complete schedule of concerts, workshops and special events is posted online at Cantigny.org.
About Cantigny Park
Cantigny Park, part of the Chicago-based nonprofit Robert R. McCormick Foundations, is the 500-acre Wheaton (Illinois) estate of Robert R. McCormick (1880-1955), longtime editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. It is home to 30 acres of spectacular gardens, the Robert R. McCormick Museum, the First Division Museum and a 27-hole championship golf course. All are open to the public. Cantigny also is a favorite destination for special events, weddings, concerts, lectures, workshops and other recreation and learning opportunities for all ages. Full-service banquet and dining facilities are on site. More information, including hours, directions and a calendar of upcoming events is online at Cantigny.org. For details about Cantigny Golf, including the Cantigny Golf Academy and 9-hole Cantigny Youth Links, please visit CantignyGolf.com.
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