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Palooza at the Pointe ends on a high note

By Jamilyn Hiskes

LANSING, Ill. (July 18, 2022) – Despite the storm clouds looming over the locally-famous band shell throughout the early afternoon Sunday, Fox Pointe was abuzz with music, entertainment and community for the last day of Palooza at the Pointe.

TF South and Jesse White Tumblers

The third of three days kicked off around 12:30 with a high-energy routine from TF South High School’s junior varsity cheerleading squad, complete with a Kesha soundtrack. Following their performance, the girls then joined the crowd to watch one of the seven Jesse White Tumbler teams take the main stage.

The Illinois Secretary of State himself, who is also the troupe’s coach, introduced them. “I believe that when you come through this world and become successful, you give back,” White said. “And that’s what I’ve been doing for 63 years, by helping these young people realize their dreams by staying away from gangs, drugs, and those negative aspects of life.”

The Fox Pointe crowd was enthralled by the acrobatics of the renowned tumblers, some of whom are as young as six years old, according to their website. As the stunts became more and more difficult, each member of the team proved themselves capable of defying gravity, both with and without a mini red trampoline.

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The Jesse White Tumblers entertained the crowd with their high-flying acrobatics. (Photo: Jamilyn Hiskes)

Following the Tumbler’s high-flying performance, there was an hour-long intermission for attendees to stop by the food trucks and tents, merchandise stands, and the new north lawn stage. Plenty of kids flocked to the Action Zone to burn some energy and try to reach the top of the climbing wall.

For the first time, Fox Pointe hosted a north lawn stage in addition to its main stage. (Photo: Jamilyn Hiskes)

Afternoon acts

2 Trailers Down, an acoustic cover band with a diverse catalog “from AC/DC to Elvis,” took the main stage around 2 p.m. Their set opened with “Let It Be” and only went up from there. As the smell of barbecue wafted through the air, the band sang hits by Elton John, Willie Nelson, Fleetwood Mac, and many others. They kept listeners engaged with humorous asides between songs and took a couple requests from the audience.

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2 Trailers Down played classics on a cloudy Sunday afternoon at Fox Pointe’s Palooza at the Pointe. (Photo: Jamilyn Hiskes)

Around 4 p.m., Cowboy Jukebox took the main stage to close out the day. Their presence was light and uplifting, and their covers of Top 40s country hits from Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, and others kept the crowd smiling and singing along. Despite some dark clouds, the weather held out for the duration of their set.

Palooza at the Pointe proved a successful multi-day event for the Lansing community to spend a July weekend together. The diversity of the showcased entertainers, the activity options for kids and adults alike, and the variety of food options made for a family-friendly summer atmosphere, one that the Village of Lansing hopes to continue in coming years.

Fox Pointe is located at 18138 Henry Street in Lansing. For a schedule of future events, read this article:

Jamilyn Hiskes
Jamilyn Hiskes
Jamilyn Hiskes is a Loyola University Chicago School of Communications graduate and experienced journalist who enjoys writing stories about people, entertainment, and politics. She’s new to Lansing, but that only makes her more eager to learn about the town through her reporting for The Lansing Journal.