Hawthorn mall festival in Vernon Hills marks Earth Day; ‘It allows the community … to come together’

For the first time in the newer part of the Hawthorn mall in Vernon Hills, Saturday’s annual Earth Day Celebration featured food trucks, artisan booths, live music, lawn games, a petting zoo, animal show and more. Liz Giergiel of Wauconda attended the Animal Quest show with children Jack, 11, and Natalie, 8. “It’s wonderful,” she said. “It’s great that they get to see this.” Tia Prokos, the mall’s marketing manager, said, “Hawthorn has held a number of Earth Day events over the years to help educate the community about the...