Ribfest looking for 10-year deal with Naperville Park District
The Naperville Exchange Club hopes to keep Ribfest in Knoch Park for at least the next decade.
The group has big plans for completely rearranging the festival layout to make it bigger and better, according to Julie Lichter, who will be chairwoman of this year's event.
Ribfest takes place during Fourth of July weekend and raises money for groups that fight child abuse.
The festival long has been held on the north end of Knoch Park, 724 S. West St., near the city's downtown. However, the club will be losing some space because adjacent land belonging to the Naperville Cemetery is no longer available and there is ongoing construction across the street at Naperville Central High School.
The group had considered moving to a different site, such as Nike Park along Diehl Road, but park district Executive Director McGury said relocating would cause too much disruption to park district operations.
Instead, the Exchange Club now wants to use both the north and south sides of Knoch Park and completely revamp the festival's layout.
"If you've been to Ribfest before you won't know where you are because it will be totally different," Lichter said.
The group plans to have two major stage areas with large screens and sponsor sections in both. There also will be an expanded carnival area.
To make the new layout work, the club wants to add removable fencing and additional electric and water to the park's south side in conjunction with some lighting improvements the park district already was planning.
The club on Thursday asked Naperville Park District commissioners for a 10-year contract for the use of Knoch Park instead of the usual three-year deal.
"Three years to recover dollars is a pretty short time frame so we're just asking for a longer term commitment so we know where our home is going to be for the next 10 years," Lichter said Friday.
Attorneys for both groups already are discussing some of the details.
Ultimately the decision about the contract will be up to park board commissioners.
Board President Mike Reilly said the club has been a good partner and he understands its desire for a 10-year deal. The commissioners have not yet discussed the issue as a group.
"From my personal view, 10 years seems to me to be a long time," he said. "It's not out of the question but it's a long time. We just have to chew on it a little bit and see what makes sense for the residents and the park district."