Area residents looking for some summer fun don’t have to go far this weekend.

Sponsored by McGonigal’s Pub, the first Barrington Summerfest is taking place Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28, 2012.

The event will take place on the 200 block of Park Avenue and will feature live music, food and drinks from a variety of local vendors, and plenty of family fun.

“The idea was to basically do something in the village kind of along the lines that neighboring towns do with summer festivals,” Bryan McGongial of McGonigal’s Pub said. “Barrington had the 4^th of July festivals with the brat tent already, so I asked the village, 'what if we had something like Celtic Fest?' and they said it was a great idea.”

McGonigal’s Celtic Fest, a St. Patrick’s Day festival, has been wildly popular over the past two years. Over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, the pub has set up a tent on Park Avenue and hosted live bands and served plenty of food and drinks. Summerfest will have a similar set up, but with a smaller tent and a more open-air feel.

“The vision here is why not bring more people into town,” McGonigal said.

The event takes place over the same weekend as the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce’s Sidewalk Sale Days, which McGongial sees as a huge plus.

“I said (to the Chamber of Commerce) I think it might be an enhancement to the weekend, and they whole heartedly agreed,” he said. “Overall, we kind of promote them together. It’s a great weekend to be in Barrington for all of this.”

The outdoor festival will run from 4 p.m. until midnight on Friday, and 11 a.m. until midnight on Saturday. Pub hours will be 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. both days. Admission is free during the day, and all ages are welcome. A nominal event donation is requested after 8 p.m., and festival goers must be 21 or older at this time.

Food and drinks will be provided by McGonigal’s Pub, Cooper’s of Barrington, Park Avenue Wine Bar, Kaleidoscoops and Sweet Spot. Food and beverage transactions outside will be cash only. Credit and debit cards will be accepted inside of the pub. A schedule of live entertainment can be found at www.mcgonigalspub.com

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