Fr. Jason Nesbit, CSV, could get accustomed to this. For the second time in three years, he took his place in the passenger seat of a vintage Buick convertible and waved to the cheering fans. The occasion was the Bourbonnais Friendship Festival’s Grand Parade, which took place Sunday as the culmination to the four-day festival.
Back in 2019, Fr. Jason took his seat in the same car when the parish and its Camp MOSH was chosen grand marshal of the Children’s Parade, held earlier in the week, because of its mission to enlist young people in carrying out community service projects — right in the parish’s backyard.
The Friendship Festival is an annual celebration of community, in the heart of the Village of Bourbonnais. This five-day, fun-filled event is the unofficial kickoff to summer on the Municipal Center grounds and includes a carnival, concerts, contests, a community 5k, local eats, sweet treats and more, all capped off by a grand parade.
It was designed to provide good, wholesome activities and entertainment, in a family atmosphere. This year’s theme — Unplug, Connect, Play – Game On 2022 — demonstrated that commitment. All parade entries were encouraged to build a float that captured this year’s theme of a family game night.
Fr. Jason rode behind the parish’s float, which proudly displayed its banner celebrating the parish’s 175th anniversary starting later this year. The series of events will be designed around the parish’s theme: “175 Years of Family and Faith.”