Eddie Money to play Schaumburg's Septemberfest

Schaumburg trustees Tuesday approved a $25,000 contract for '70s and '80s rocker Eddie Money to perform on the first night of this year's Septemberfest.

He and his band will take the stage on the village's municipal grounds at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3.

Meanwhile, Schaumburg Special Events Coordinator Roxane Benvenuti is hard at work trying to book the main stage acts for the second and third nights of the annual Labor Day weekend festival.

“I like to know by the end of June, but oftentimes it goes into July,” Benvenuti said.

Name recognition is usually a big draw for Septemberfest's main stage acts, with past performers having included Pat Benatar, Gin Blossoms, Mary Wilson of the Supremes, KC and the Sunshine Band, Three Dog Night and the Little River Band.

Bookings are often a result of finding a desirable performer who falls within budget, can efficiently fit Schaumburg into an existing tour route and hasn't been at Septemberfest in at least several years.

For Benvenuti, the booking of Money brings her full circle, as he performed at the first Septemberfest she worked on in 1997.

“He was very well-received,” she said.

She's close to signing a well-known local act for Monday, Sept. 5, but is still seeking out a performer for Sunday, Sept. 4, after several earlier offers were declined due to routing issues.

Money's performance is costing just under half of the $51,300 budget Benvenuti has to work with for all three nights' main stage acts.

Some years the money is divided up quite differently, while others — like last year's — are split nearly evenly.

Only contracts for more than $20,000 require village board approval. The rest are signed administratively.

Money for these acts — indeed for the whole of Septemberfest — come not from other village funds or taxes but from sponsors of the event itself.

“Our goal is to put on a successful, family-friendly festival and break even,” Benvenuti said. “For the most part, I think everyone looks forward to Septemberfest.”

This year's will be the 41st annual Septemberfest, which includes a carnival, food vendors, Sunday night fireworks and a Labor Day parade.

Fest: Money played Septemberfest back in 1997