Villa Park residents organize their own holiday parade


CHRIS FOX PHOTO

The Village of Villa Park’s traditional Fourth of July parade was canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The parade route passes by the Madison Street home of the Behnke family. About one week before this year’s holiday, the Behnkes organized a parade that welcomed children and adults to ride their bicycles. The Villa Park Police Department provided an escort for the parade, which began at Park Boulevard and Illinois Avenue. The parade proceeded south on Illinois, west on Madison, north on Cornell Avenue and east on Park back to Illinois. The photo shows several of the young participants heading east on Park near the end of the parade route. “People loved it,” said Matt Behnke, who joined his wife Lynda to organize the event.