The Champaign Center Partnership is thrilled to once again welcome Bud Light Summer Stage back to Campustown this summer! This event will take place at the corner of Sixth St. and John St. in the heart of Campustown on Saturday, July 26th and will include fun activities for the whole family.
New this year is Kids’ Fest beginning at 3 p.m. and taking place on John St. between Wright and Sixth. Kids’ Fest is a full block of carnival games, dancing, music, costumed characters, giveaways, and a petting zoo! The Kids’ Fest area will be run by volunteers from local non-profits. There is a suggested donation of $5 per child (up to four children in a family) to enter Kids’ Fest. There is no donation suggested for additional children or adults. Money donated at Kids’ Fest will be distributed evenly to the non-profits present and volunteering that day.
“This is a great opportunity for us to encourage families to come to Campustown, explore, shop and enjoy a festival designed just for them,” Champaign Center Partnership Executive Director, Erin Lippitz said. “The whole event is family friendly. Families can spend all day in Campustown and find plenty to do that everyone will enjoy.”
The Summer Stage concert will begin at 6 p.m. at the corner of Sixth and John Streets and will feature local favorites, Mike Ingram, 90s Daughter and the Brat Pack.
“We’re very excited to be featuring local bands that have such a huge following in this community,” Lippitz said. “These groups play familiar music that should appeal to people of all ages. We’re anticipating a lot of dancing.”
Also on the agenda for the evening is an eating contest sponsored by Fat Sandwich and Sysco Foods where entrants will be challenged to eat the Big Fat Ugly sandwich in under 20 minutes.
“We wanted to add something a bit unexpected to the event this year; something that would be entertaining for the audience but also something that they could take part in,” Lippitz said.
The first three entrants to get closest to finishing the sandwich in the 20-minute time frame will win prizes from local restaurants and retailers.
Also new this year are two Summer Stage Encore performances that will begin after the event concert finishes, around 10:30 p.m. Emily Otnes and Kenna Mae Reiss will be performing at Legends and Megan Johns will be at Murphy’s Pub. Both businesses are on Green Street.
“Once our outdoor concert ends we’ll be encouraging everyone to go inside and patronize our Campustown businesses that are still open. Having encore performances keeps the excitement up and the party atmosphere going but gets everyone safely off the streets while encouraging them to stick around,” Lippitz said.
For more information on the event, activities scheduled for Kids’ Fest, information on parking and to enter the eating contest, visit champaigncenter.com.
This event is sponsored by Bud Light, WKIO, Firehaus, The Clybourne, Roland Realty, Stevie Jay Broadcasting, Ragstock, Fluid Events Center, Venue 51, Murphy’s Pub, Legends, Gameday Spirit, Parkland College Radio, Fat Sandwich and Sysco Foods.