In a strategic and possibly politically-cheered move, the Aurora Civic Center Authority (the overseeing Paramount Theatre entity) waited until today, May 1, to announce their new summer lineup at RiverEdge Park in Aurora. The announcement arrived out of the mouth of Aurora’s Mayor Tom Weisner and came at the tail end of Aurora’s State of the City address at Piper Banquets.
Mayor Weisner announced that country music star Jennifer Nettles (Aug 29) will be a park headliner, as well as Lady Antebellum (Aug 7). The mayor also teased the audience with a “huge” rock band that will be announced on June 22. Not mentioned were 10,000 Maniacs (July 5) and the return of the Downtown Alive! concert series.
New to the park this year will be an Irish Festival on August 2. Returning events include the Fourth of July fireworks and the Color Vibe 5K on June 15. Roots Aurora held its inaugural event at the park last year; it will return on Aug. 31 – the day after Alley Art Festival on Water Street Mall in downtown Aurora.
The full lineup was posted at the RiverEdge Park website after the speech.
Click HERE for the complete lineup. Will you buy tickets? What events or concerts are you excited about?
Our vote? The Rocky Horror Picture Show on June 21. The only problem is the excellent Two Brothers Summer Festival with Los Lobos headlining will be right across the street on the same night.
During the speech, Mayor Weisner also mentioned more bike lanes in Aurora and a friendly river for kayaks and canoes. Other things he touched upon: TIFs, Outlet Mall and Farnsworth overhaul, new bridges for Indian Trail, new restaurant The Patio BBQ is coming, a needed youth center on LaSalle Street, GAR restoration funding, and much praise for public/private partnerships.
