Blues, pop, classic rock in store at Aurora's RiverEdge
Summer will draw blues musicians, pop acts and classic cover artists to RiverEdge Park in Aurora, including Mavis Staples, Shemekia Copeland, Jonny Lang, Elvin Bishop, Dark Star Orchestra, Steve Miller Band with Peter Frampton, and Kesha.
The riverfront venue announced the initial acts for its fifth summer lineup Wednesday, highlighting five major concerts with 10 artists.
The party gets started with the 21st annual Blues on the Fox festival June 16-17, a concert that pays tribute to blues recordings made in Aurora in 1937 and 1938 by artists who went on to shape the genre on the Chicago scene.
Friday performances at this year's Blues on the Fox include Shemekia Copeland at 7 p.m. and Mavis Staples at 9 p.m. Saturday acts are the Guy King Band at 3 p.m., Devon Allman Band at 5 p.m., Elvin Bishop at 7 p.m. and Jonny Lang at 9 p.m.
Next up at the outdoor concert site is Dark Star Orchestra, a Chicago-based Grateful Dead tribute band set to play at 7 p.m. June 24.
In July, classic rock's Steve Miller Band with Peter Frampton is set to take the stage at 7:30 p.m. July 20.
The next day, Kesha and the Creepies will be in town for a show at 8 p.m.
The first major show set for August is Get the Led Out: The American Led Zeppelin at 8 p.m. Aug. 25.
Tickets for all summer shows at RiverEdge Park are for sale online at riveredgeaurora.com. Phone and in person ticket sales begin at 10 a.m. April 5 at (630) 896-6666 or at the satellite box office at the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd.
Many tickets start at early bird rates until full prices go into effect June 1. Early bird tickets are $5 for Get the Led Out, $10 for Blues on the Fox, $20 for Dark Star Orchestra, $40 for Kesha and the Creepies and $45 for Steve Miller Band with Peter Frampton.
Summer at RiverEdge Park also is set to include a free Fourth of July event with music and fireworks; a 5K race on May 28; a beer festival June 2 and 3; a cycling fundraiser June 11; a Latin American fest hosted by a church June 18; a Puerto Rican heritage fest July 29 and 30; and a Mexican Independence Day celebration Sept. 16.
The $18.5 million park was built from 2011 to 2013 to clean up former industrial sites along the Fox River's eastern edge and help revitalize downtown Aurora.