Renovations have closed the RiverEdge Park music revenue in Aurora for the season.

Aurora’s RiverEdge Park is known around northern Illinois as a gem when it comes to the outdoor concert experience, particularly its signature Blues on the Fox event. 

The event and performance facility, which is owned by the city, is located on the northern edge of the downtown area, along North Broadway and the Fox River, about a half-mile north of Aurora’s other major entertainment venue, the Paramount Theater.  

However, gems can have their flaws, and the Aurora City Council has committed more than $16 million to fix those shortcomings and bring RiverEdge back better than ever. In the meantime, the 30-acre park will be closed for the 2025 music season, canceling Blues on the Fox.  

On its Facebook page, RiverEdge Park staff said the facility “is undergoing renovations and will be closed during the 2025 summer concert season, but the summer fun isn’t stopping! Join us at Wilder Park for an exciting lineup of music and events! 350 N River St.” 

On June 14, a Townhouse Music Fest will be held in Wilder Park, featuring locally and nationally acclaimed DJs, musical artists, food trucks and ice-cold beverages. General admission is $25. 

The post stated “We’ll be back at RiverEdge Park in November 2025 for Christkindlmarket and in summer 2026 with an incredible lineup of shows in a beautifully refreshed venue.” 

Officials confirmed Friday that Blues on the Fox will return in 2026 when the Park resumes its summer lineup. 

Some of the music park’s flaws were visible to the public, while others were less well known. RiverEdge management had been hearing for years that the backstage area was inadequate. Management also wanted to expand event capacity due to the increasing number of events and ticket demand.  

Last year the city council approved a $1.4 million contract with Ratio Architects of Chicago to design and engineer the renovation. Then last August the council approved a $4.1 million contract with Aurora-based R.C. Wegman Construction, which will handle project management. 

The planned work will expand the backstage area from 7,000 to 24,000 square feet, allowing for more office space, dressing rooms, restrooms, a dining space and a private outdoor patio area overlooking the river.  

As for those attending concerts, the public seating area will be expanded by approximately 2,500 seats, with new restroom facilities built to accommodate larger crowds. A new centralized beverage and food pavilion will also be constructed. A new entry gate will be built on the southern side of the park, adding a second option for attendees entering the park, from either Broadway or the pedestrian bridge over the river. 

Work has already started in the backstage areas of the park and is scheduled to conclude in November. That has necessitated the closure of the pedestrian bridge over the Fox River, which will remain closed until the fall, due, officials say, to the large amount of construction activity by the bridge. 

The plan is to have the stage and backstage renovations done by November, in time for the highly popular Christkindlmarket that will run from late November until after Christmas. Last year the holiday event drew 200,000 people. 

After the Christkindlmarket is taken down, work will begin in January on the exterior renovations, which will include an entry gate on the south end of the facility, additional seating, the beverage pavilion and restrooms. 

The latest renovation project is a continuation of improvement efforts along Aurora’s riverfront the past 20 years, dating back to Mayor Thomas J. Weisner’s administration.  

In 2010, Gov. Patrick Quinn’s administration provided an $8 million “River Edge Redevelopment grant” to the city to enable continued work on the long-planned revitalization project. 

Construction on RiverEdge Park started in 2012. It replaced the old North River Street Park. In June 2013, after two weeks of previews, public tours and ribbon cuttings, the concert schedule kicked off with the fourth edition of Blues on the Fox, featuring blues legend Buddy Guy, Dr. John, JJ Grey & Mofro, The Stone Foxes, Tommy Castro and The Painkillers, Robert Randolph and The Family Band.” 

Just how the city will celebrate reopening the renovated and revitalized RiverEdge next spring remains to be seen. But it can be expected to be a good one.