'Special headliner' for Fourth of July concert to be announced soon, casino says

In what is becoming an annual tradition in Elgin, Grand Victoria Casino and the city are partnering again for a Fourth of July concert and fireworks show.

A "special headliner" will be announced soon for the concert in downtown's Festival Park featuring "crowd-pleasing oldies" music by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap and Gary Lewis and The Playboys, casino advertising manager Marilou Pilman said.

"At this time, Grand Victoria is committed to making this an annual tradition for the city of Elgin," she said. The casino is looking into a future project of installing a permanent stage at Festival Park and is considering various design proposals, she said.

Last year, an estimated 6,000 people attended the event at the park and a few thousand more watched the fireworks from various spots nearby and across the river.

Admission to Festival Park will go up from $5 to $10 per person this year, and kids 12 and younger will get in free.

"Our intention is for these concerts to be profitable so that we may further invest in Festival Park," Pilman said. The casino will spend about $60,000 on the fireworks, which will be set off the National Street bridge, she said.

The city will contribute staff members from its fire, police and public works departments, totaling about $23,000 in costs along with $2,000 for equipment rental. Council members unanimously voted to approve the expense, budgeted at $30,000 this year, Wednesday night.

"It was a phenomenal event that we had here in Elgin," Councilwoman Tish Powell said. "A lot of folks appreciated it and came down here to enjoy it."

Councilwoman Carol Rauschenberger called it "a great event."

Last year, the first time the city partnered with the casino for the Fourth of July fireworks, Councilmen Terry Gavin and John Prigge voted "no," citing concerns about traffic and crowd management.

"I knew our police department could handle the situation but I just didn't think it would go that smoothly," Gavin said. "I was wrong. It went outstanding."

Last year, the fireworks were supposed to go off from a barge in the Fox River, but were relocated at the last minute to the National Street bridge because a tow line snapped and the barge had to be pushed ashore.

"I'll never forget that text from Jeff (Swoboda, the police chief) saying we need to cancel the fireworks," City Manager Sean Stegall quipped.