‘It’s become Mardi Gras’: Big Friday crowds leads Arlington Heights to limit summer concerts to Thursdays
It may be cold outside, but schedule changes to the popular Sounds of Summer concert series in downtown Arlington Heights are a hot topic in town.
Mayor Tom Hayes said he received more emails about the status of the village-run concert series in the last couple days than he has in the last three years about the Chicago Bears. That was before the village board’s 7-2 vote this week to cancel concerts on Friday nights and hold them only on Thursdays.
So instead of 12 shows on Thursdays and Fridays in June and July, the dozen events will be held weekly on Thursdays starting in June and extending through August.
In proposing the change, village officials pointed to challenges managing larger crowds Friday nights, public parking garages at capacity, and some restaurateurs who say they don’t need extra help drawing customers Fridays compared to the rest of the week. The musical performances have grown in size and scope since launching on Friday nights in 2001.
“It’s a good problem to have because it’s become a thing,” Trustee Rich Baldino said of the shows in Harmony Park at Vail Avenue and Campbell Street. “When we started this, we did not want this to become Mardi Gras. Well, it’s become Mardi Gras, and it’s become unwieldy. And it’s become a problem.”
Held at the same time as the Arlington Alfresco outdoor dining season, the Thursday concerts averaged 3,717 attendees, while Friday shows drew 5,034, according to Placer.ai, a location analytics company.
Trustee Jim Bertucci, who is a downtown resident, and Trustee Scott Shirley said their “no” votes were to represent working families who are unable to attend Thursday night events.
“Why is success - for lack of a better word - being punished?” Bertucci said. “So Fridays are successful and it's working out great, and yeah we are at capacity, but, OK. I don’t see the problem. What’s the problem with that?”
Ernie Rose, an attorney who helped organize the newly-formed Downtown Arlington Heights Business Alliance, said many business owners in the group support the village’s concert schedule changes, including Hey Nonny, Peggy Kinnane’s, Salsa 17, Scratchboard Kitchen, Beer on the Wall and CoCo & Blu.
Tom Manetti, owner of Metropolis Ballroom and also a member of the business alliance, said the Friday summer shows have hurt his business - with fewer wedding bookings amid the noise and crowds.
“Fridays absolutely should not be the case,” Manetti said. “The businesses don’t need it down there no matter who you talk to. They’re already busy.”
But Bertucci said he talked to other business owners who are fine with keeping concerts on Fridays, including Armand’s Pizzeria, Carlos & Carlos, Cortland’s Garage, Big Shot Piano Lounge and Kilwins.
The 2024 concert series is scheduled weekly from June 6 through Aug. 29, except July 4 due to the Frontier Days festival.