Top films that scare the pants off me: The Shining, Silence of the Lambs, the Large Marge scene in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure and SAW. I remember taking a date to see the first Saw in theaters and, gentlemen heed my warning, when a girl says she appreciates a sensitive soul who isn’t afraid to cry SHE IS LYING. And if it wasn’t my preteen girl screaming that turned her off, it was definitely the impromptu stop at the Gap for new underwear where the date really jumped the shark. And that is why, during this year’s Fright Fest, you will see me nowhere near Six Flags Great America’s Brand New SAW LIVE.

SAW LIVE debuts this weekend at Great America’s Fright Fest. The most successful horror movie franchise in history comes to life in the form of a brand new interactive haunted house. That creepy Jigsaw puppet (who makes Chucky look like a Cabbage Patch) hosts the show and features live actors and traps based on scenes from the Saw films. Originally the plan was to include scenes based on the audience of the Saw films but we ran out of tears and vomit. If you thought watching the movies was scary then wait till you become an active participant. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you when you can’t sleep till Fright Fest 2011.

And, for those with higher thresholds for terror than myself, SAW LIVE is just one of FOUR haunted attractions coming to Great America this year. Make sure to also check out Mausoleum of Terror, Studio 13 – Back Lot Horror Tour and Studio 13 – Area 51. Mausoleum of Terror even comes with the “Not recommended for children under 12 due to graphic content and intense nature” disclaimer which is essentially just the PC way of saying “This is not for Mike.” For more information on any of these head over to GA’s Fright Fest page.

Three short days away for you Great America folk. Chicago’s one of those lucky parks that kicks off Fright Fest a week early. I assume cause they have no post-season baseball to look forward to. (Cheap shot?) And the rest of you guys, keep an eye on the Twitter page Friday morning. There might be something fun going down over there.

Blog written by Mike Scollins of Six Flags.

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Friday night my family and I went to a spectacular event sponsored by the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort. It was called “Starry Night” just like the famous painting by Van Gogh. It was held on the Cranes Landing Golf Course which was the perfect spot for astronomers and astronomy fans to view the amazing sights of the beyond. All of the astronomers, from 4 different clubs, gathered together in the middle of the golf course to show off their equipment, big or small, and took advantage of the absent city lights to view the Moon, Jupiter, Jupiter’s 4 moons, a double star called Alberio, and even the E.T. Star cluster, that happens to look just like E.T.

Not only astronomy was a factor of this event, but the Marriott Resort supplied terrific food. There was a nice spread of burgers, hot dogs, brats, grilled chicken breast and served with coleslaw, macaroni and cheese and bean salad. For desert they had simple, yet delicate sugar cookies themed like stars and crescent moons, which perfectly set the mood for the upcoming night. They also had a couple people inside the golf shop that had set up different demonstrations and would explain them to the guests. One of them explained to me his “drawing in space” technique, which created 3D like art out of rubber using space and light. The other one had a few telescopes set up, and explained the inside story on the different kinds of them and how they work to show us the images.
Finally it was time to go out into the golf course to view the stars. We passed by the resort’s glow-in-the-dark golf set-up, which was really cool. When we arrived to where the showing was we noticed a set-up of about 36 telescopes manned with their owners. Each of the telescopes aiming at different bits of the night sky, had kids and parents going from scope to scope with amazement in their eyes. One of the astronomers was alerting all of us of the satellites that were passing by and we were all lucky enough to view both a Russian and a Chinese satellite. The man telling us about the satellites said he had never seen the Chinese satellite before then, so it was great that we all experienced such a rare sighting. Overall it had to be one of the best experiences of my life, and I plan to watch for other events put on by the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort.

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Don’t let the small size of the Waukegan Regional Airport located on 535 acres fool you when it comes to having one of the most exciting air shows in Illinois. What most people living in Lake Country don’t realize is that this fantastic air show happens each year and it won’t break your bank account. Children 12 and under get in free and $5 for adults if you buy online, $10 at the gate, and there is plenty of free parking.


You might not see the Blue Angels, at least not this year, but you will see many impressive current state-of-the-art military planes e.g., A-10 Thunderbolt II, nicknamed the Warthog or Hog and the F/A-18 Hornet that will leave you and your children awestruck as these planes speed past you at speeds approaching Mach I without hardly a sound, leaving you holding your ears seconds later when you finally hear the thunderous roar of the mighty jet engines as these planes scream pass the crowd 100 feet above the ground. Watching the stunt planes defying the law of gravity doing spins and rolls will make you dizzy. The vintage planes from previous wars e.g. the Air Force Heritage Flight and the Navy Legacy flight, warbirds from every conflict flying in formation can’t help to swell you with that pride and admiration that all patriotic Americans feel for all our brave military men and woman who serve us now and those who have lost their lives or been injured defending the freedoms we all enjoy in America; you know, “Proud to be an American.” Watching the best-of-the-best pilots flying state-of-the-art planes leaves no doubt in your mind why the USA military pilots and planes will remain #1 in the world. You also get a chance to see the young future military leaders of America in full military dress assisting in crowd control; a big round of thanks goes to all the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets (e.g., NJROTC – Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) present from the Waukegan and Zion Benton Township high schools and other schools in the area.


The Waukegan Regional Airport Air show is well worth the price of admission and you won’t be tied up for hours in traffic and crowd control as is the case in the much larger air shows, e.g., the Chicago Air Show. There were quite a few food vendors this year, that I hope more food vendors come next year to showcase their eateries, and there was so many people utilizing the vendors that one even ran out of coffee early. Now that the Waukegan Air show is aware of how popular the Air Show is, I am sure they will try to get more vendors for next year.

Mark your calendars for next year’s Waukegan Air Show so you won’t miss one of the best-of-the-best air shows in Illinois.

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She’s charming, she’s sweet, and her shop is so neat! And if you’re a regular in the park, it’s likely that Jennifer Wood, Ravinia Festival’s Retail Operations Manager, has helped you find some of your favorite things at Ravinia Gifts. Now it’s her turn. Here are a few of Jennifer’s favorite things:

Jennifer Wood, Retail Operations Manager of Ravinia Festival, poses with the Ravinia Excursion

For cool weather: The Ravinia full-zip appliqué navy zip-up sweatshirt

This universal and super soft collegiate-style sweatshirt is perfect for a chilly night at the park. Jennifer says, “On a night when you see people wearing it en masse, it’s almost like they’re on a team.”

For warm weather: The Ravinia white v-neck tee

“I always want there to be something new in the store when people come in every year so they can add to their collection,” Jennifer says. This shirt is contemporary, comfortable, and looks good on everyone. It’s definitely something to consider adding to your wardrobe while at the park.

Picnic cooler: Excursion

Jennifer describes this tote as the “SUV of picnicking.” Whether packing a picnic for a small or large group, this tote can handle it. Not only is it practical, but it’s also environmentally friendly by promoting the concept of reusing. Check it out!

Picnic Accessory: Scroll Candelabra

This adorable piece always brings the same question from customers: “Does the wine bottle come with it?” Unfortunately, it doesn’t, but Jennifer tells people to “make friends and drink quickly” in order to set up this romantic candle set.

Ravinia Souvenir: Shot glass candle

This item holds a special place in Jennifer’s heart, as it was the first item sold in the shop this season. What makes it especially cool is that doubles as a shot glass once the wick burns out! Not only is it a great item to use on the lawn in here the park, but also in a kitchen or on a patio at home. Next time you are in Ravinia Gifts, ask Jennifer to hook you up with one of these.

Inspired to find your favorite things? Be sure to check out Ravinia Gifts next time you come out to the park! If you just can’t wait to get your hands on all of the great items the shop has to offer, visit us online to browse and buy at any time.

Check out the link to Ravinia's photo galleries of the entire season here: http://backstage.ravinia.org/ravinia-gallery/

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