Evergreen Park Church cancels carnival scheduled for June due to safety concerns

EVERGREEN PARK, Ill. — Evergreen Park’s annual carnival has been canceled due to concerns about a possible takeover by teenagers.

Holy Redeemer Church leaders were scheduled to host the 46th annual parish carnival in mid-June.

But after the capture by teenagers last week at the carnival in Tinley Parkthe church is hedging, not sorry.

Year after year, the space at the corner of 95th Street and Lawndale Avenue is usually transformed into a carnival.

Parish councilors have decided to cancel the carnival after parishioners raised safety concerns following last weekend when hundreds of teenagers caused chaos at the Armed Forces Weekend Carnival in Tinley Park.

“It’s very unfortunate that the Tinley Park event is affecting us here in the area,” resident Chris Bodenberg said.

This year, the carnival was scheduled for June 15-18.

“It’s not an easy decision because the carnival has a long tradition,” said Father James Hyland. “This would be the 46th annual carnival and also our biggest fundraiser for our parish.”

Hyland said the carnival typically brings in $50,000 to $60,000 for the parish and school.

He said the church is looking for alternative ideas to bring people together and make up for lost revenue.

Longtime Evergreen Park residents said they will miss the carnival this year.

“It’s supposed to be for kids and it’s supposed to be for families, and you have to cancel it because of the punks who literally want to come and ruin everything for no reason,” Terry Breen said.

A St. Catherine parishioner who spoke with WGN-TV News said the parish is still planning its carnival in a couple of weeks.

This parish is not far from the Church of the Holy Redeemer.