Geneva Cancels RiverPark Concert Series Due To Coronavirus

GENEVA, IL — Geneva officials on Tuesday put an end to any lingering hopes of hosting the RiverPark Summer Concert Series. The city’s Cultural Arts Commission canceled the concerts, but the annual Shakespeare in the Park performance will go on, though it will be presented online.

"With an uncertain summer ahead due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancellation of other popular Geneva festivals, the Cultural Arts Commission decided to cancel its outdoor events out of safety concerns," said Tim Vetang, who chairs the commission.

Though the commission canceled the concerts, all four performers scheduled to play — the Illinois Brass Band, The MacCartyns, Good Clean Fun Band and the School of Rock Geneva House Band — have already been booked to play at next year’s concert series, according to a new release.

"It’s incredibly difficult to disappoint our dedicated fans who have come out to the concerts over the years, but we promise to give everyone great performances next summer," event chair Lisa Hellman said.

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A performance of William Shakespeare’s "Much Ado About Nothing" by the Elgin-based Goodly Creatures theater company will be released online in July on the City of Geneva’s website and YouTube, the release states.

"Although we had to take the precaution of canceling our event, we still wanted to produce a Shakespeare play for our loyal fans," said Gail Gaboda, who co-chairs the Shakespeare in the Park events. "Our free event has been a gift to the community for 13 years, and an online performance is a means to connect with our audience while they follow the state’s safety guidelines."

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This summer’s Geneva Concours d'Elegance car show, scheduled for Aug. 23, has also been canceled by organizers.