Name: 50th Annual Frontier Days
Start: 2026-07-01
End: 2026-07-05
Location: Recreation Park

Detailed site map of the Free Festival Grounds showing key locations and layout. Features include Circle Drive Main Entrance with Petting Zoo, Marketplace (Fri-Sat-Sun), Recreation Center, Family Fun Stage, Main Food Pavilion, Dessert Row, Frontier Stage, Main Stage, carnival rides, pony rides, baseball infield, tennis courts, pool construction area, shuttle stop, ticket booth, beer and wine garden with ID check, first aid, info booth, ATMs, portable toilets, and parking. Streets labeled include Miner Street, Belmont Avenue, Douglas Avenue, Hickory Avenue, and Northwest Highway. Notes accessibility options, bike riding rules, ongoing construction changes at Rec Park, and to check posted signage for updates.

Where & when

Recreation Park.

Four blocks east of downtown, walkable from the Metra station, free parking and shuttle services available. All five days happen here.

500 E. Miner Street
Arlington Heights, IL 60004

Festival dates

Wednesday, July 1 - Sunday, July 5, 2026

Festival hours

July 1st - 5pm - 11pm
July 2nd - 5pm - Midnight
July 3rd - 12pm - Midnight
July 4th - 12pm - Midnight
July 5th - 12pm - 10pm

Admission

Always free - no ticket needed at any entrance.

Rain policy

Fest runs in light rain.

Heavy storms → weather updates on social.

Get directions →See parking

Parking & Shuttle

Free lots, first-come first-served.

Please review the below travel and parking options. To minimize traffic near the park, we have a shuttle service to provide transportation between parking lots and the festival area.

Shuttle service

Two Route Options

North Shuttle Route: Thomas Middle School
South Shuttle Route: South Middle School

View below.

Parking garage

Two Close by Options

Location 1: Evergreen Ave. & Miner St.

Location 2: Vail Ave. & Sigwalt St.

Street Parking

Available Street Parking

Choose nearby neighborhood side street parking.

Detailed map of the Free Festival Shuttle routes sponsored by Mariano's and Daily Herald. Blue North Route and red South Route show continuous shuttle stops (blue stars north, red stars south), parking garage, commuter lot, and key locations including Thomas Middle School, Olive Elementary School, Recreation Park Festival area, train station, and surrounding streets. Includes North and South bus operating hours for July 1–5, wheelchair accessibility note for South Route, and reminder that no coolers are allowed on festival grounds.

The house rules.

Short list, the village and park district set most of these. The rest are things the red shirts have learned to remind people about over fifty years.

You can bring

Blankets, low-back chairs (under 30” tall)

Sealed water bottles & reusable bottles

Strollers & wagons

Small handheld umbrellas

Cash for vendors & raffle (cards accepted too)

Leashed service animals (any time)

Please leave at home

Outside alcohol, beer tent on-site (Wed.–Sun.)
Coolers & glass containers of any kind
Tents, canopies, staked shade structures
Fireworks, sparklers, or any open flame
Drones or unauthorized aerial cameras
Skateboards, scooters, e-bikes inside gates

Q & A

Ask the red shirts.

Fifty years means fifty years of questions. Here’s what gets asked most, especially by first-timers.

Is admission really free?

Yep — always has been, always will be. No tickets, no wristbands at the gate. Inside, food, drinks, ride wristbands, and raffle entries are cash or card. Sponsors cover everything else.

Can I bring a cooler or outside food?

No outside coolers, glass, or alcohol. Sealed water bottles are fine. Food is welcome if it’s in a soft bag — the no-cooler rule is about glass safety and alcohol checks, not keeping people from snacks.

Are pets allowed?

Only service animals. Emotional support animals do not count under ADA rules. The park gets loud and crowded — please leave pets at home for their sake.

What time is the parade?

Saturday, July 4th, stepping off at 10:00 am sharp from Arlington Heights Road & Northwest Hwy. Route runs 1.8 miles. Curb spots fill starting 8am — this year is extra big.

What happens if it rains?

The fest runs in light rain. For severe storms, we pause rides and outdoor stages and move indoor programming to the pavilion. Check our Facebook & Instagram for real-time calls — we usually make the decision 20–30 minutes ahead.

Getting here is easy.