Yes. The City of Highland Park is partnering with neighboring communities, state, and federal law enforcement in the planning and day-of security. Private security will also be in place for these events to provide additional coverage throughout the day. Guests may expect to see:
- Officers maintaining an event perimeter around City Hall, the Community Walk route, and the evening entertainment
- Working K9s (unlike the City’s community service and wellness dog Pawfficer Duke, these are crime-fighting dogs and should not be petted or approached)
- Officers assigned to be part of the event, including walking the route with members of the public
- Officers wearing uniforms of other jurisdictions
- Officers assigned to positions on rooftops
- Helicopter surveillance
- Drones may be used for the purpose of real-time monitoring of participant safety. The drones are flown in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration safety regulations.
Please note that, based on their assignment, some officers will be armed with long rifles.
Yes, metal detectors will be in use for security screenings at check-in points for the Remembrance Ceremony, Community Walk, and evening entertainment. Please note that if the metal detector alarm sounds, guests will be subject to a secondary screening, as is typical for stadium or concert events. The City appreciates the partnership of Ravinia Festival in facilitating this added layer of security.
To ensure safety, the City reserves the right to refuse admittance of any item deemed hazardous or suspicious, including any item capable of being used as a projectile. Click here to view a full list of prohibited items.
The following items are prohibited:
- Firearms, knives, explosives or weapons of any kind
- Athletic equipment (balls and flying discs, etc)
- Pets
- Anything that needs to be staked into the ground
- Drones or other flying apparatus
- Fire pits
- Air horns or other distracting noise makers
- Alcohol
- Backpacks (including clear backpacks)
- Fireworks
- Glass/metal/aluminum containers, bottles or cans (including tumblers, thermoses and flasks)
- Illegal drugs or substances
- Laser pointers
- Marijuana
- Skateboards, hover boards or other personal recreation vehicles with the exception of ADA-required devices
- Wrapped packages
- Any other items deemed inappropriate by operations personnel
This list is not exhaustive, and any other items deemed inappropriate by operations personnel will also be prohibited. There is no bag storage area for prohibited items or oversize bags.
Backpacks of any kind (including clear backpacks) are not allowed. The maximum personal bag size: 10" x 6" x 2". The Evening Concert requires clear bags only.
Please note that guests will not be able to bring in chairs or other seating aids into Wolters Field.
Guests may enter the event areas with a small purse or personal bag up to 10" x 6" x 2" in size. Backpacks are prohibited. Limited exceptions for medical or diaper bags will be allowed. Clear bags, such as those required for stadium events, would be appreciated for all events and are required for the evening Concert & Drone Show event. On-site bag storage will not be provided.
Similar to concerts or other large-scale events, guests entering the event areas are subject to visual inspection, bag check, and additional security measures as warranted by trained security personnel. Guests who decline a search of their person or bag will not be permitted access to the event(s). Please note that these added security measures may slow down an entry line, so please plan accordingly.