Plans continue for FoxFireFest, Elgin’s new art and culture event, taking place at Festival Park from August 3-5th. FoxFireFest will incorporate the best elements of the previous Fine Arts Fest, while showcasing the wide variety of art, theatre and music groups from the local area. Friday and Saturday nights will offer main stage entertainment, followed by riverfront pyrotechnic shows.
The Elgin Symphony Orchestra (ESO) will open the festival weekend Friday night, August 3, with a performance at 7:30 p.m. on the main stage at Festival Park, a change of venue from past years when the concert took place at Wing Park Bandshell. As in past years, the City of Elgin provides the ESO concert free of charge to the public. Families are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy this great opportunity to hear our award-winning Elgin Symphony Orchestra in a casual family-friendly atmosphere. Vendors on site will have a variety of food, beer and wine available for you to purchase, therefore concert-goers are requested not to bring carry-in food and beverages to Festival Park for this event. The concert will conclude with a pyrotechnics show on the Fox River.
The Saturday night main stage performance at 9:00 p.m. will be the high-energy Buckinghams. Voted “The Most Listened to Band in America” in 1967, the Buckinghams continue to earn rave revues throughout the country. With a fresh approach that fuses their classic sound with a punch and rhythm for today, the Buckinghams have created a loyal following throughout the country with a new age-group of fans. Immediately following the concert, a special riverfront performance including dance, lights and fire will take place to close out the evening events. (More announcements about this exciting show TBA)
Sunday morning activities will open with the Elgin Cycling Classic, a challenging 1KM course in downtown Elgin. Races will begin at 8:00 a.m. and the final race will begin at 4:00 p.m. In addition to several pro races, there will be races for men, women and children throughout the day. Over $12,000 in cash prizes will be awarded. Registration is available online at www.downtownelgin.org
Festival Park will open at noon on Sunday, with another full day of art, music and food. The festival will conclude Sunday evening with The Outlaws performing at 5:30 p.m. Florida's Guitar Army is tearing up stages all over the country with their special blend of classic songs, scorching guitar solos and hallmark harmonies. Founded in 1972, The Outlaws were originally firmly entrenched in the rock world (they frequently toured with acts like the Eagles and Foghat), their Southern rock sound helped inspire "New Country" artists like Garth Brooks, Rascal Flatts and Brooks and Dunn. "Green Grass and High Times" was recently featured on Country Music Television as one of the Greatest Southern Rock Songs of all time.
FoxFireFest is made possible through the generous support from our Special Event Season Sponsors - Comcast, The Riverfront Action Committee and the Daily Herald as well as the FoxFireFest “Soft Candlelight” sponsors- LaSalle Bank, Toyota and PanCor and numerous other individual contributing sponsors.
Watch for more exciting information and updates about FoxFireFest and the many other activities happening throughout the festival weekend; please check the City of Elgin website special events page at www.cityofelgin.org