Kenny Rogers kicks off Elk Grove concert series July 4
Final preparations are underway for the seventh annual Mid-Summer Classics Concert Series in Elk Grove Village, which kicks off on the Fourth of July with Kenny Rogers.
Rogers' free concert at Lions Park, located on Lions Drive and Elk Grove Boulevard, begins at 8 p.m. and is followed by fireworks at about 9:30 p.m. The Lions Club's annual festival, with food and refreshments available for purchase, begins at 3 p.m.
Village officials are encouraging concertgoers to park at Elk Grove High School, Grove Junior High School, Queen of the Rosary Church, Salt Creek Elementary School, Ridge Family Center for Learning, the Al Hattendorf Center, Clearmont Elementary School, Audubon Park and Morton Park. Limited handicap parking is available in front of the high school. On-street parking will be limited to one side of the street near Lions Park.
Attendees will be able to set up chairs for Rogers' concert beginning at 8 a.m., though use of tables, tarps, blankets or construction tape to block off a section of seats is not permitted. Lawn chairs and coolers are welcome.
The village will host four more concerts on consecutive Tuesday nights beginning next week at the Village Green, which is located between the Charles J. Zettek Municipal Complex, at 901 Wellington Ave., and the Elk Grove Library, at 1001 Wellington Ave.
Kansas performs on July 7, 38 Special on July 14, Travis Tritt on July 21, and two shows on July 28 feature Christopher Cross and Air Supply. Concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. and are free. At the last concert, Christopher Cross is expected to begin at 7:30 p.m. and Air Supply at 9:15 p.m.
Parking for the Tuesday night concerts is available on the street, at the Elk Grove Park District Pavilion, St. Julian Eymard Church, Admiral Byrd Elementary School, Salt Creek Elementary School, and the Alexian Brothers Medical Center Eberle parking garage. Handicap parking is available in the library parking lot.
The village is paying $310,000 and the park district contributing $50,000 for performers' fees. The park district's contribution has remained steady over the years, but the village's has risen from $80,000 two years ago and $260,000 last year. The village is using revenues from the hotel-motel tax, cigarette tax and gaming tax to pay for the shows. It also relies on corporate sponsorships.
Last year's concert series had estimated total attendance of 60,000.