New East Dundee event schedule criticized by downtown stakeholders

Say goodbye to Motor Mondays, Tail Waggin' Tuesdays, Wine Down Wednesdays and Thirsty Thursdays.

East Dundee's popular summer gatherings held in years past are not included in its preliminary event schedule for 2017, much to the dismay of several downtown stakeholders.

Instead, the village's marketing department has introduced a slew of new events staff members hope will involve more businesses and bring in visitors all year, rather than primarily in the summer.

"It gives us an opportunity to have a bit more balance with our events," said special events manager Erin Weingart. "It gives us 12 months to enjoy the possibilities of East Dundee."

Some investors and business owners, however, are fighting to keep the village's summer events, which collectively brought thousands of people downtown last year. Broker Terry Donati, who is involved in an ongoing project at 311 Barrington Ave., argued new and unfamiliar festivities may not draw such large crowds.

"Why would you abandon the name branding you've done so well with?" he said. "It takes time to build that recognition, and quite frankly, a lot of the business people don't have that time. They can't afford a whole season to be a flop."

New events this year include a Harvest Fest and a haunted historical walk, both in October. In January and November, the village is organizing a promotional opportunity called Restaurant Week, during which visitors can indulge in specials at 15 participating establishments. Perhaps the most controversial schedule change is the addition of a Corks and Caps town concert in June and July.

Weingart said the downtown event will consolidate the best elements of Wine Down Wednesdays and Thirsty Thursdays into a larger festival, complete with live music and family activities.

"You'll have the ability to walk into any of the local businesses because there won't be a set location where you can only buy wine or only buy beer," she said. "With a larger footprint, it will allow equal opportunity for all the downtown businesses to be able to sell (beverages) or offer a special."

Steve Opfer, who runs The Uncommon Palate on River Street with his wife, Lisa, said he supports the idea of holding community concerts but worries fewer summer events will result in lighter foot traffic.

Investor Tom Roeser echoed those concerns in an email to village trustees, saying staff "has decided to eliminate the events that are making East Dundee vibrant again" without sufficiently seeking feedback from downtown stakeholders.

John Maheras, manager at Diamond Jim's on Meier Street, however, said the new schedule is beneficial for businesses that already thrive during the summer months by bringing more visitors downtown in less favorable weather.

"Anything that helps us in the off months is great," he said. "If you can get people here but spread it throughout the year, it's a good thing for the town."

The popular Heritage Fest and Dickens in Dundee events remain on the calendar.

Weingart added the village wants to work with outside organizations interested in hosting their own community events, as is the case with the St. Patrick's Day parade and fireworks.

"The landscape of the downtown has changed, and we have a lot of people giving us feedback that aren't just downtown on River Street," Weingart said. "There are a lot of businesses that want to be part of what's going on, and they are also excited about this new schedule."

East Dundee's marketing department operates on a roughly $400,000 budget, about 70 percent of which is allotted toward events and outside marketing costs. Trustees are expected to discuss the event schedule Monday.