Jeff Cross isn’t usually a planner. But for his 30th wedding anniversary, he decided to go big. In this episode of This One Time in Kankakee, we hear the incredible true story of how a 1990s meet-cute at a Bourbonnais Blockbuster led to a secret flash mob in downtown Kankakee.

Hear how Jeff organized 50 friends and family members, dodged suspicious bailiffs while sneaking around the Courthouse bushes, and used a "fake cake" to keep his wife from ruining her own surprise. It’s a story about love, logistics, and the community coming together on Court Street.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The Origin Story: How a misheard name at the hospital made Jeff a "Kankakee legend" from birth.
• The Meet-Cute: A nostalgic look back at dating in the 90s involving Subway sandwiches and Blockbuster nametags.
• The Heist: How Jeff secured "clearance" from a local Judge and hid behind trees to keep the secret.
• The Payoff: What it takes to coordinate a dance routine in the freezing February slush.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Kankakee County Courthouse
• Knights of Columbus
• Busse & Rieck Flowers
• Subway (Bourbonnais)
• The "Eagle" distraction technique 🦅

Have a Kankakee story? We want to hear it! Email jake@milnermediapartners.com to tell us about "This one time in Kankakee..."

Want more from the WVLI Podcast Network? Listen to the WVLI News Update with Rob West every weekday morning! Get the days local news from the greater Kankakee County, IL area in 10 minutes or less.

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