'The risk was too great': How COVID-19 pandemic has affected suburban summer fests

Ribfest organizers had reached the point of no return when they decided to pull the plug last month on their 33rd annual event.

The Exchange Club of Naperville was hoping to host a modified version of the Fourth of July weekend celebration at its new Romeoville venue, complete with rib vendors and live entertainment, event Chairman Bob Black said. Musical acts were lined up, though nothing was set in stone, and work was underway to ensure proper COVID-19 protocols would be in place.

But less than two months out from the July 1 start date, the nonprofit remained encumbered by uncertainty over the pandemic's potential impact on costs, contracts, crowd sizes and its goal of raising money to end child abuse and domestic violence.

“The bottom line is, the risk was too great,” Black said. “It was a very difficult decision, but I would say it was the right decision — the only one, quite frankly, that the circumstances and the pandemic and the restrictions placed upon us.”

The evolving COVID-19 environment is largely responsible for the volatility of this year's summer festival schedule across the suburbs, including in Arlington Heights, Roselle, Elgin and Buffalo Grove.

Earlier this year, when strict capacity limits were in effect and reopening plans were unclear, communities erred on the side of caution, with some canceling their long-standing gatherings for the second year in a row. But with the state expected to enter Phase 5 of the “Restore Illinois” plan this month, many organizers are now scrambling to offer a taste of normalcy.

Among the festivals reversing course is Frontier Days in Arlington Heights. A scaled-down version is now moving forward July 1 to 5.

The safety and concerns of volunteers, as well as financial considerations, prompted the event's initial cancellation in March, said Lars Ohrstrom, president of its nonprofit board of directors. Then as vaccines were rolled out and COVID-19 conditions trended positively, he said, city officials expressed a desire to provide residents with some form of entertainment, igniting the revival of Frontier Days in a revised format.

The time to book large-scale musical acts or organize food tents or pay deposits would have been as early as January, when the pandemic outlook was still too hazy, Ohrstrom said. Instead, this summer's festivities will center around a carnival with games, rides and fair food staffed by its own employees. That limits the number of volunteers needed.

“Festivals are a year-round operation,” Ohrstrom said, noting that planning begins immediately for the next year's event. “I hope people understand we're trying to do the best we can with the situation we have. I know in 2022, things will be back in full-bore.”

Organizers of Buffalo Grove Days have adopted a similar approach. Rather than committing to a full-scale operation with elaborate staging, food tents and a parade, the Labor Day weekend event will entail a carnival at Mike Rylko Park and a smaller-scale concert series with food trucks at Willow Stream Park, said Alan Danenderg, publicity chairman.

In Elgin, a Fourth of July parade won't be held in its traditional format, Special Events Coordinator Katie O'Leary said, and a fireworks display at Festival Park won't be accompanied by other entertainment or amenities.

Timing is everything when it comes to planning for large-scale events, most of which involve fixed costs and partnerships with other agencies, said Jason Bielawski, Roselle's acting village administrator. While that level of commitment was unrealistic for the Rose parade and festival in June, he said, the Taste of Roselle is slated to move forward in late July, and an Independence Day fireworks show is now moved to Labor Day weekend.

If Ribfest had been a month later, organizers might have been able to pull off a modified event, Black said. But unlike Lollapalooza, a privately run music festival in Chicago, he said, the weight of the Exchange Club's decision falls not only on attendees and the promise of a future Ribfest, but also on the charities it supports.

“These proceeds don't belong to us as a nonprofit. We have to be exceedingly careful here,” Black said. “There was too much uncertainty and not enough time.”