Sycamore Parks officials happy with successful summer events

SYCAMORE - The Sycamore Park District is coming to the end of its seasonal events with the final of its Summer Concert Series and the final Movies in the Park event the first week of August.

The 2022 summer marks the first time attendance for outdoor events in Sycamore has been at or above the levels last seen before the pandemic shuttered gatherings in 2020, park district officials said.

“As we compare numbers, we are definitely exceeding 2019, which we call our normal year,” said Theresa Tevsh, superintendent of recreation services for Sycamore Park District.

For the second to last show in the Summer Concert Series, SunFallen will play at GoodTymes shelter at 7 p.m. Thursday. According to the band’s website, the musical group epitomizes the staying power of rock and roll. SunFallen has performed covers of songs from Led Zepplin and The Rolling Stones to The White Stripes and The Black Keys.

On Aug. 4, R-Gang – a Motown and R&B group – will perform at the same venue and time a week later. The musicians are making up a concert slated for the beginning of July that was rained out.

Aug. 5 will mark the second Movie in the Park event, featuring “The Mummy.” The movie will be presented through a partnership with the Sycamore Library, and sponsored by the Sycamore State Theater, at Legacy Campus at 435 S. Airport Road.

Tevsh said she hopes the community is gaining understanding that Sycamore parks is for the well being, alertness and overall health local residents. Sycamore has more than 600 acres of parks and more than 20 playgrounds. Tevsh said this puts the city in a great position to have a healthy community.

“We’re really blessed to have these free amenities that are here for our residents to use,” Tevsh said.

Sarah Rex, a recreation supervisor for the Sycamore Parks District, said people tend to enjoy cover bands because it’s songs they already know or are familiar with. She also said these events have brought out folk from throughout the community.

“It’s everybody – families, young people, older people,” Rex said. “It brings out pretty much everybody in the community.”