PHOTOS: Elizabeth Steakout Celebrates Law Enforcement and Community

The muggy August humidity wasn't strong enough to deter the great people of Elizabeth, IL, who showed up and showed out in support of local law enforcement officers.

The first annual Elizabeth Steakout was held in Terrapin Park on Saturday, August 6th. A free event, Elizabeth Steakout was all about celebrating our local police officers. They do so much for the community. This event was a phenomenal way to facilitate and strengthen that connection between community and law enforcement.

Elizabeth Steakout was held at Terrapin Park, a sweet slice of neighborhood bliss right off Hwy 20. The park features a playground, a large baseball field, a splashpad, and enough lawn-space for all the activities to take place.

The event offered everything from food trucks, donuts, refreshments, and the opportunity to connect with Elizabeth and neighboring-Galena's finest. You saw everyone from little kids to their parents and grandparents make their way to Terrapin Park!

I was out broadcasting on Y105 from 4-6pm, right at the beginning of the event. For the first hour, I was broadcasting atop a hayrack, which was a first for me. The weather was hot, with highs in the mid-90s, but the camaraderie made it enjoyable!

A couple food trucks, including Happi Hibachi, provided some of the eats for Elizabeth Steakout. They were parked parallel to Hwy 20, easy to spot from the street. They themselves were an invitation of sorts to a park filled with bouncy houses and bean bag boards ahead of the bean bag tournament!

Dittmar Farms & Orchard, run by Elizabeth Mayor Mike Dittmar, was out supporting law enforcement as well! In addition, Mike and his family were selling some of their delicious apple cider donuts. It was a signal that fall is near despite the humid temperatures!

"Mayor Mike," as he's known, was kind enough to chat with me on-air about the event. He sung the praises of all those involved with putting the event together, and threw more praise towards local law enforcement!

A popular attraction for kids (and adults) were the many police vehicles parked on the baseball field. The one vehicle that called a lot of attention to itself was the Northwest Illinois Critical Incident Response Team truck. An absolute unit of tactical force, kids were quick to flock to the truck's open doors.

The vehicle was among the first to arrive shortly after the event began at 4pm. It can't help but draw attention to itself, and more or less served as the centerpiece for Elizabeth Steakout.

In addition to Elizabeth's law enforcement, several officers from Galena came by the event, including the Jo Daviess County Sheriff.

It was also a pleasure to meet and chat with Chris Allendorf of the Jo Daviess County State's Attorney's office and Sheriff Kevin Turner. Both Allendorf and Turner talked to Y105 about their satisfaction with the event and their squad that works around the clock in keeping Elizabeth a safe and secure city!

Among a handful of vendors was Lola's Deli of Elizabeth, serving up delicious food on a warm summer day!

Elizabeth Steakout reminded me of events I used to attend when I was a kid. They were open houses took place at my hometown's fire department and/of police department. They were geared towards humanizing first responders. They allowed us to look inside a police vehicle (while encouraging us not to be in the backseat of one), and gave people, especially kids, an opportunity to get to know the men and women that serve their community.

That's exactly what Elizabeth Steakout did. It was a wonderful event to be a part of, put on by the hard-working (and very kind) Taylor family!