Memorial Park News | Summer 2022
NEIGHBOR UPDATE
Thank you to our friends and valued neighbors for a wonderful first season of concerts and special events at Memorial Park in 2021.
In 2021, we introduced the new bandshell at a ribbon-cutting event on June 5, which kicked off the Summer Entertainment Series. We were fortunate to provide weekend concerts and Wheaton Municipal Band performances along with a free Shakespeare in the Park production and Wheaton Brew Fest.
As a good neighbor, we wanted to provide you with an advanced look at what we have planned for this upcoming summer season. We will bring back concerts with a mix of genres, Shakespeare in the Park, Wheaton Brew & Seltzer Fest, and the relaunch of Cream of Wheaton. We are committed to limiting the number of days with amplified sound in the park and will continue to work with the city on monitoring event capacities and parking.
The new Cream of Wheaton will take place June 2 through June 5 and will feature arts and crafts, carnival rides, food vendors, live entertainment, and the Cosley Zoo Run for the Animals.
We are looking forward to a summer filled with music, shared experiences, and community goodwill. You will find a complete schedule inside this newsletter. Summer Entertainment Series tickets will go on sale April 15.
See you in the park,
Michael J. Benard
Executive Director
[email protected]
2022 SUMMER SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
JUNE
June 2-5 | Cream of Wheaton (times vary)
June 4 | Cosley Zoo Run for the Animals – 7:30A
June 9 | Wheaton Municipal Band
June 16 | Wheaton Municipal Band
June 23 | Wheaton Municipal Band
June 24 | Mulberry Street & Gold Dust Dreams Concert
June 25 | Mickey Hatfield Trio & HiFi Superstar Concert
June 30 | Wheaton Municipal Band
JULY
July 4 | Independence Day Parade (route will pass Memorial Park) – 10A
July 7 | Wheaton Municipal Band
July 11 | Shout Section Big Band, FREE Family Night – 6-7:30P
July 14 | Wheaton Municipal Band
July 15 | The Wayouts & American English Concert
July 16 | Chicago Philharmonic Ensemble Concert
July 21 | Wheaton Municipal Band
July 28 | Wheaton Municipal Band
July 29 | Billy Elton & Radio Gaga Concert
July 30 | UltraBeat & Sixteen Candles Concert
AUGUST
August 4 | Wheaton Municipal Band
August 6 | Wheaton Brew & Seltzer Fest – Noon-4P
August 8 | Jenny V James and The Flames, FREE Family Night – 6-7:30P
August 12 | ARRA & One of These Nights Concert
August 13 | The Chicago Experience & The PettyBreakers Concert
August 25-27 | Shakespeare in the Park – 6-9P
SEPTEMBER
September 9 | The Ron Burgundys and Rod Tuffcurls & The Bench Press Concert
September 10 | The Special Consensus & Bella Cain Concert
September 17 | DuPage Symphony Orchestra, FREE – 7P
NOTE:
– September 22, 23, 24 and 25 will be reserved for any performances that get rained out and need to be rescheduled.
– Free Wheaton Municipal Band performances start at 7:30P.
– Concerts will take place from 6-9:30P unless otherwise noted.
Lions Terrace Rentals
Lions Terrace is available to rent during concert performances. To inquire, please contact Carolyn Wilkin at [email protected].
NOTE: Summer Entertainment Series tickets are available April 15. Tickets are $10 each.
Sponsored by:
CREAM OF WHEATON RETURNS
Cream of Wheaton, Wheaton’s hometown celebration, makes its return this year in Memorial Park after a two-year break.
The new 2022 Cream of Wheaton is set for June 2 through June 5 and will include an arts and crafts fair, carnival, food vendors, live entertainment, and the Cosley Zoo Run for the Animals.
Cream of Wheaton got its start in 1982. In 2009, the festival was combined with the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce’s Autumn Fest and was renamed Taste of Wheaton. Because of the COVID-19 crowd limitations along with ongoing streetscape construction, the festival was suspended in 2020 and 2021.
Jane Hodgkinson, retired Executive Director at WDSRA and former park board member, remembers how the festival got its clever moniker.
“A Wheaton Park District staff member asked me if I could come up with a name to replace an older festival called Spring Fling. She described her hope that this fest would bring out the very best of Wheaton – the best food, arts, music, entertainment, and summer experiences for families. I thought she was describing a festival of the Cream of the Crop, the best of one of the best cities. When the breakfast cereal Cream of Wheat crossed my mind, it was a natural to call the fest the Cream of Wheaton,” Hodgkinson said.
The Wheaton Park District, the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Wheaton are proud to bring this fun and exciting event back this summer.
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