EDISON PARK — A festival designed to celebrate police officers, firefighters and members of the military — and raise money for charity — is set for Saturday in Edison Park.
The Edison Park Salutes Those in Uniform comes after a year when white-hot criticism engulfed the Chicago Police Department in the wake of the release of a dashcam video showing a police officer fatally shoot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times.
The festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. near Oliphant and Olmstead avenues in Edison Park, organizers said.
The first-of-its-kind festival will feature music, food trucks, jump houses, children's activities and beer.
Chicago band Northside will headline the festival, organizers said.
Members of the military, police departments and firefighters who show their identification will get a free raffle ticket and an appreciation wristband.
Proceeds from the festival will benefit three charities that help law enforcement officers and their families:
• Brotherhood for the Fallen, which raises money to send officers to attend the funerals of those killed in the line of duty.
• Ignite the Spirit, which helps the families of firefighters who die in the line of duty.
• Salute, Inc., which helps veterans of wars after 9/11 transition back to civilian life.
The 10 a.m. Sunday Mass at St. Thecla Church, 6725 W. Devon Ave., in Norwood Park, will be dedicated to those in uniform.
Many residents of Edison Park and Norwood Park are members of the Chicago police and fire departments.
The festival is sponsored by the Edison Park Community Council, the Edison Park Chamber of Commerce, Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41st) and Republican State Rep. Michael McAuliffe, who is running for re-election against Democrat Merry Marwig.
The festival will block Oliphant Avenue from Northwest Highway to Avondale Avenue and Olmsted Avenue from Oliphant to Oshkosh avenues to traffic from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, organizers said.
Earlier this week, U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon blamed the spike in Chicago's murder rate, in part, on a "drag" on Police Department morale following the release of the McDonald video late last year that prompted widespread, but largely peaceful, protests.
The McDonald shooting also sparked a Federal Justice Department review of Chicago Police practices, which is ongoing.
Fardon also said the adoption of a detailed two-page "contact card" for all police stops has led officers to be more reactive than proactive and to make fewer stops — which contributed directly to this year's 40 percent increase in murders and 50 percent increase in shootings.
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