Food And Drink Festivals To 'Celebrate Highwood'

CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's been a very busy summer for north suburban Highwood filled with lots of festivals.

Sunday is the last day to enjoy the North Shore Taco Fest. For next Sunday, they're gearing up for Bloody Mary Fest.

The president of Celebrate Highwood Eric Falberg joined CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot and Ed Curran in the studio to talk about what festival goers can expect.

"Bloody Mary Fest is on Sunday. It starts around 10:00 a.m. People start lining up so you need to get there "pretty quickly," said Falberg. "We have 20 different competitors so you can get so many different Bloody Mary drinks.

For the last six years, Toad Stool has won the "People's Choice" award. In the Toad Stool's signature drink, there's caramelized bacon, pickle, cheese, olives and celery.

"Garnishes are a big deal, but it always comes down to the Blood Mary itself," said Falberg, who added that using the right spices can also make a difference.

The Taco Fest continues through 9:00 p.m. Sunday. Highwood's Bloody Mary Fest takes place next on Sunday July 29 from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at Everts Park.

Visit the Celebrate Highwood website for more information on these events and others in suburban Highwood.