Wheaton To Use Heated Tents To Extend Outdoor Dining

WHEATON, IL — The Downtown Wheaton Association is thinking "outside the box" and using heated tents to keep diners warm and to extend outdoor dining until at least the start of winter for downtown businesses.

Downtown Wheaton Association Executive Director Elle Withall told Patch the association looked to ski resorts and cold-weather towns for inspiration in coming up with the idea, which will transform Wheaton into a "winter city." The festive feel will be augmented by live music and seasonal lighting.

The heating systems will be placed outside the existing outdoor dining tents to "crank up the heat" via ductwork inside the tents, Withall said. The outdoor tents were added in spring to allow businesses to give diners more options while indoor seating was closed or limited. "It's kept our businesses viable during this time," Withall said.

Withall said the heated tents are a way to keep diners comfortable and keep businesses generating revenue during the colder months.

Withall told Patch she hopes the community "embraces" the idea of downtown Wheaton as a cool-weather dining destination and keeps supporting local businesses.