September 20, 2024
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RISE Up musical festival gets McHenry council’s OK for 2024

Headline acts not yet announced for three-day music festival

By Janelle Walker

Austin Burke and band play on stage during the RISE Up music festival on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021 at Petersen Park in McHenry. Funds raised from the Friday and Saturday music festival, which included artists such as Sugar Ray, Smash Mouth, Brantley Gilbert, and more, are going toward a new splashpad at Fort McHenry, according to the RISE Up foundation's website. (Lucy Dolan for Shaw Local/Matthew Apgar)

While McHenry officials signed off this week on a venue for the 2024 RISE Up Foundation music festival, the acts that will be appearing on stage are still a secret.

During a meeting this week, Mayor Wayne Jett told the McHenry City Council that he plans to begin revealing the festival lineup soon. Funds raised by the concert - which is expanding from two to three days this year - will be used to build an inclusive playground at Veteran’s Memorial Park, Parks and Recreation Director Bill Hobson said.

“The entire existing playground would be removed and an accessible play structure would be introduced along with a complete rubberized play surface,” Hobson wrote in his report to council.

The playground’s design is still under development, and additional free play elements would also be introduced there, Hobson said. Veteran’s Memorial Park was picked for the donation because of its central location and “it is our second most popular playground after Fort McHenry” at Whispering Springs Park, Hobson said.

“You do have costs out the door, but an enormous amount coming back in.”

—  Victor Santi, McHenry 1st Ward Alderman

Before an unanimous vote in favor of the agreement, city staff members responded to council members’ questions about the city’s costs for hosting the event.

Lines form at the RISE Up music festival in this file photo from Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. (Lucy Dolan for Shaw Local/Matthew Apgar)

McHenry provides Petersen Park cost-free for the event, first held in 2021. That event raised $200,000 for a splash pad at Whispering Springs Park. The second festival, which took place in 2022, raised $250,000 toward renovations at Miller Point Park, which were completed in September.

Jett puts the total donation from the 2022 event at $450,000, as he was able to secure a donation from Gary Lang, former owner of the Lang Auto Group, for the amphitheater at Miller Park in addition to the $250,000 the festival raised.

Overall, five city employees work the RISE Up festival, costing the city $7,000 to $8,000, Hobson said. In comparison, Fiesta Days, operated by the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce over two weekends, costs the city about $10,000.

Police Chief John Birk said he did not have a breakdown of costs for his department as the foundation is not invoiced for hours. He estimated costs of officers at $20,000 for the two-day event.

There is an investment from the city as part of the festival, but “we are receiving a large sum donation to certain entities in the city,” said Victor Santi, 1st Ward Alderman. “You do have costs out the door, but an enormous amount coming back in.”

As far as which acts will headline the festival, set for Sept. 12-14, 2024, at Petersen Park, Jett said he planned to announce the first band on Nov. 20, and the other acts over the following weeks.

The fundraising goal for the 2024 event is $400,000, Jett said in October.

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