The Chicago dessert institution will celebrate its birthday and annual festival this week. View Full Caption Eli's Cheesecake

DUNNING — Nothing says party like food on stick — and that's exactly what's on tap at Eli's Cheesecake this week.

The Chicago dessert institution will celebrate its 35th birthday Wednesday, and its annual festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at its Dunning headquarters, 6701 W. Forest Preserve Dr.

As part of the festivities, Eli's Birthday Cake Cheesecake will make its debut. The concoction features frozen confetti cheesecake on top of a layer of old fashioned birthday cake, covered in milk chocolate, rolled in more confetti and served frozen on a stick.

The festival will feature cheesecake tastings — with a new flavor offered every hour — as well as cheesecake-eating contests, cooking demonstrations and a performance by the Jesse White Tumblers, who are set to fly over a giant Eli’s birthday cheesecake.

The Happiness Club also is set to perform their award-winning musical show. In addition, a classic car show with more than 100 cars is set to take place Sunday along with a vintage costume contest.

A portion of the proceeds from the festival will benefit the New Horizons Center, a school for the developmentally disabled located adjacent to the bakery.

A complete schedule of events is available at cheesecakefestival.com.

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