much more. Festivals and various other events play an important role in family culture and entertainment. The Park District hosts the annual Proud American Days festival the last weekend in July. This festival includes food vendors, carnival rides, a craft show and live music. The Annual Kids Fest includes a day filled with fun activities just for kids. The Chamber’s Halloween Parade & Costume Contest features frightful fun for hundreds of area families. During the Summer of 2011 (July 7 and 8), Lincoln-Way Central hosted the New Lenox All-Star Experience presented by Mayor Tim Baldermann which included a Dwyane Wade Skills Academy camp, a Devin Hester football camp, a Jim Peterik band camp, as well as the Annual Kids Fest. Semi-pro football The Lincoln-Way Patriots are part of the Mid States Football League and play throughout the Lincoln-Way area. Parks and trails The New Lenox Community Park District maintains 40 parks and athletic fields comprising nearly 600 acres; while also utilizing 14 facilities throughout New Lenox. New Lenox also offers a number of paved asphalt and crushed gravel trails. Old Plank Road Trail is a 22-mile pavement hiking and biking nature trail that travels through the heart of New Lenox with many access points to include access at the Village Hall in the Commons. The Hickory Creek State Nature Preserve provides a 2.8-mile asphalt hiking and biking nature trail as well as access to the historic one-room Schmuhl School Museum on the southeast corner of Route 30 and Schoolhouse Road, which is owned and operated by the New Lenox Historical Society. Additionally, the Hadley Valley Preserve offers a unique 4.85-mile crushed Spring Creek Greenway Trail that welcomes pedestrians and equestrians. Notable people B.J. Bello, NFL linebacker, for the Los Angeles Chargers Alex Broadhurst, former NHL center for the Columbus Blue Jackets Karla DeVito, singer/songwriter Tony Cingrani, MLB pitcher, currently playing for the St. Louis Cardinals Ned Grabavoy, former MLS player and current scouting director for Portland Timbers, 2009 MLS Cup winner Sonya Huber, writer Renée Kosel, state Congresswomen representing Illinois 81st legislative district Rob Ninkovich, retired defensive end and two-time Super Bowl champion for the New England Patriots. Current analyst for ESPN. Johan Reinhard, Andean archeologist and explorer in residence for National Geographic Wellington J. Reynolds, painter, instructor at Art Institute of Chicago Eric Steinbach, offensive lineman, retired NFL football player Local media New Lenox's weekly community newspaper is The