The car show is open to antique, classic, custom and sports cars. Twenty cars will be awarded trophies, including one for Best of Show and one People’s Choice winner. (Photo courtesy of McHEnry County Historical Society & Museum)

On paper, the McHenry County Historical Society & Museum’s 36th Annual Heritage Fair offers an opportunity for patrons to enjoy a longstanding community event.

The Heritage Fair — to be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 9 at the museum, 6422 Main St., in Union — includes children’s activities, the Garden Glitz summer plant sale, a Treasure Chest sale (featuring one-of-a-kind items), a vintage book and clothing sale, a bake sale and baking contest, and on-site food and beverages for sale.

The event also includes the 11th Annual Heritage Fair Car Show, running along downtown Main Street in front of the museum.

But this year’s edition of the Fair, coinciding with the Historical Society’s 60th year of operation, provides an added bonus by opening a window into the museum’s featured exhibit: “60 Years, 60 Objects: Stories from McHenry County.”

“We’re celebrating 60 years of collecting, preserving and sharing history with the public,” said MCHS Exhibits Curator Kira Stell. “One of the highlights is our featured exhibit. It highlights 60 artifacts from the Society’s collection in five different sections.”

Stell explained that each section represents a different aspect of McHenry County history.

“The first is ‘Natural Resources’,” she said. “The second is ‘Industry and Innovation’ — businesses that have come and gone, but we can still share their stories. The third is ‘Daily Life’ — clothing, children’s toys, leisure activities, day-to-day things. The fourth is ‘Cultural and Social Activities’ — sports, music, weddings, that sort of thing. And the last is ‘Civics’ — highlighting military objects and people involved in McHenry County politics and civic work.”

Stell said that 10 of the objects she selected are off-site, hosted by 10 different McHenry County businesses. A passport trail listing the objects and their locations is accessible via the MCHS website at www.mchenrycountyhistory.org.

“It’s important to preserve the stories and history of the people who have lived and worked in the area, and to continue to share those stories,” Stell said. “The stories we have, it’s not just about an interesting object. It’s also important to have accessibility so people can learn more.”

Admission to the Heritage Fair is free and includes free admission to the museum, the 1895 West Harmony School and the 1843 Gannon log cabin. In addition, a master gardener docent in period costume will be available to answer questions about the Pioneer Garden, planted and maintained by the University of Illinois Extension.

The car show is open to antique, classic, custom and sports cars. Twenty cars will be awarded trophies, including one for Best of Show and one People’s Choice winner. The entry fee is $10 per car; admission to the show is free.

“The Heritage Fair is our biggest community outreach event of the year,” Stell said. “People can come out and have fun and learn about local history. If you grew up in the area, it’s your history as well.”

For more information, call the museum at 815-923-2267; call TJ’s Klassics at 847-515-8110 for more information about the car show.