The Elmhurst Walk-In Assistance Network’s ‘Cue for a Cause is back! After a pandemic hiatus, the Elmhurst community will gather once again for some end-of-summer fun.
The ‘Cue will take place on Sunday, Sept. 5 from 12 noon-7 p.m. at the city lot at York and Vallette, behind the Knights of Columbus. Entry is free.
The event centers around an amateur barbecue competition. Teams will be competing to prove their ribs, chicken, and sauce are the best, as determined by a panel of judges. The team with the highest combined score in all three categories will be named the 2021 Grand Champion.
A new addition this year is a baked goods competition. Sweets will take center stage for a while, as bakers compete for the best pie or cookies.
While the public doesn’t get to sample the competitors’ food, they are able to taste the sauces and vote on their favorite. And Barbeque Jim’s will be back serving up its award-winning barbecue to satisfy the cravings brought on by the smell of all that cooking meat.
Beer and wine will also be on sale, and the root beer float and Italian ice booth will be back to satisfy any sweet tooth.
Three live music acts will keep things rocking throughout the day including The School of Rock, Chicago Suppliers, and Common Area Maintenance. Meanwhile, children can stay busy in the kids’ play area which includes Covid-friendly face (or arm or leg) painting, a balloon twister, magician, giant slide and other games.
Great raffle prizes will be on offer. In addition to the usual array of tickets to Chicago’s top professional sports, one lucky person will go home with a hard-to-find electric bike. Friends might to want to strategize in advance on how to win a boat trip on a private yacht which will provide a magical evening on the Chicago lakefront and river.
All proceeds will be used by the Walk-In Assistance Network (EWAN) to serve Elmhurst families and individuals in need. Since 1997 EWAN has worked to see people through tough circumstances by providing financial assistance, but no time has presented as much need as this past 18 months. More than 1,000 local families have received help with rent or mortgage, utility bills, medical bills and much more as they worked to weather the pandemic.
For more information, visit elmhurstwalkin.org.
