Village of Barrington President Karen Darch
I hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Despite some rain on Sunday, the Barrington Art Festival was a success, with thousands of visitors enjoying beautiful artwork, food and beverages, and family activities. I especially enjoyed the Memorial Day Parade and heartfelt service that paid tribute to our nation’s fallen heroes.
I’m very pleased to announce that after a brief hiatus in 2023, the Barrington Farmers Market will be back on June 6 as a part of our weekly Thursday Night Out in downtown Barrington at Cook and Station Streets. Each Thursday evening, take a stroll into downtown Barrington, where you can enjoy the Farmers Market and classic cars, participate in family activities and more. Thursday Night Out has been a Barrington tradition for nearly 25 years – you won’t want to miss it!
I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the recent police department promotions of Lori Allsteadt to Deputy Chief of Police and Garrett Oberkircher to Sergeant and welcome our newest officer, Jeremy Ocampo. Your commitment to maintaining the safety and well-being of Barrington is truly commendable.
Additionally, I am thrilled to congratulate Jack Schaefer, the 50th Barrington Area Development Council (BADC) Citizen of the Year. Jack’s dedication as a past president and current board member of the BADC, along with his service on the Village of Barrington Board of Trustees, Cultural Commission, and Barrington’s White House Advisory Board, has made a significant impact on our community.
And finally, I would like to extend a very special congratulations to the Barrington High School Class of 2024! Your hard work and perseverance have paid off, and I am excited to see the bright futures you will create.
I hope you will join us next week for the kick-off to Thursday Night Out and the Barrington Farmers Market.
Karen Darch
Village President
While I enjoy the art fest for a brief break in the holiday weekend, I would like the village to address the significant and ongoing concerns of the merchants who pay real dollars annually for their brick & mortar shops in Barrington that are significantly impacted by the obstruction the fest poses to their businesses over what should be a high traffic holiday weekend. Why can’t they move this event to the same parking lot used for cruise nights? Or the spaces in front of the former McGonigal’s that don’t impact brick & mortar shops? It’s so unfairly disruptive to these businesses that already pay out the nose for the “privilege” of doing business in Barrington.