RiverEdge Park in downtown Aurora has another hot summer concert line-up in 2023, with tickets on sale now to all shows, many with an early bird discount if tickets are purchased by June 1.
RiverEdge Park’s 2023 summer season kicks off on June 16 with the star-studded 26th Blues on the Fox Festival, wraps up Labor Day weekend with REO Speedwagon, with major acts like Styx, Flo Rida and Rick Springfield, amazing tribute shows, the budget-friendly Downtown Alive! series, and the City of Aurora’s free 4th of July Celebration in between.
So plan ahead and save. For tickets and information, visit riveredgeaurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, stop by RiverEdge’s satellite box office, Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and until show time on show days, or purchase day-of at RiverEdge Park. All tickets are general admission. Fees not included.
RiverEdge Park, located at 360 N. Broadway St., in downtown Aurora, right across the street from Metra’s Aurora Transportation Center. It’s an idyllic outdoor summer concert venue, serving up live music, delicious festival food, cool beverages and a great time, all overlooking downtown Aurora and the beautiful Fox River.
Here’s the RiverEdge Park 2023 summer concert season:
26th Blues on the Fox Festival
Friday and Saturday, June 16-17
Friday, June 16
Ruthie Foster Band - 7 p.m.
Jimmie Vaughan - 9 p.m.
Tickets: $15 early bird; $25 starting June 1
Saturday, June 17
3 p.m. - Joey J. Saye
5 p.m. - Mud Morganfield
7 p.m. - Kenny Neal
9 p.m. - Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
Tickets: $25 early bird; $35 starting June 1
The Troubadour Project
Saturday, June 24, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $15 early bird; $20 starting June 1
Downtown Alive! presents Too Hype Crew
Friday, June 30, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $2 early bird; $5 starting June 1
4th of July Celebration
With DJ Suave Smooth
Monday, July 3, gates open at 6 p.m. gates; fireworks start at 9:20 p.m.
Free
Downtown Alive! presents 7th heaven
Friday, July 7, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $2 early bird; $5 starting June 1
Styx
With special guest SIIN
Tuesday, July 11, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $50/$179 VIP
Flo Rida with special guest Ying Yang Twins
Friday, July 21, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $49
Hollywood Nights: The Bob Seger Experience
Friday, July 28, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $12 early bird; $20 starting June 1
Stayin’ Alive: One Night of The Bee Gees
Saturday, August 5, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $12 early bird; $20 starting June 1
Get the Led Out: A Night of "The Mighty Zep"
Friday, August 18, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $15 early bird; $24 starting June 1
Poi Dog Pondering
Saturday, August 26, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $30 early bird; $40 starting June 1
I Want My ‘80s Tour: Rick Springfield, The Hooters, Paul Young and Tommy Tutone
Thursday, August 31, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $39
REO Speedwagon
With special guest Edwin McCain
Saturday, September 2, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $50
Aurora Water Lantern Festival
Saturday, September 16, 4:30 p.m.
Tickets: $0-$40
(Complete show listings follow, with tips on how to rock your RiverEdge Park experience)
26th Blues on the Fox Festival
Friday and Saturday, June 16-17
The line-up for the 27th Blues on the Fox Festival at RiverEdge Park, June 16-17, 2023, features (top, from left) Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Jimmie Vaughan, Kenny Neal, (bottom) Mud Morganfield, Ruthie Foster and Joey J. Saye.
Blues on the Fox: Day One
Friday, June 16
Tickets: $15 early bird; $25 starting June 1
Ruthie Foster Band - 7 p.m.
Blues on the Fox opens with Ruthie Foster, who just won the 2023 Blues Music Award - Top Contemporary Female Artist from the Blues Foundation. She is a four-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter who mixes a wide palette of American song forms, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk and soul. Described by Rolling Stone as “pure magic to watch and hear,” her vocal talent was elevated in worship services at her community church. Drawing influence from legendary acts like Mavis Staples and Aretha Franklin, Foster developed a unique sound unable to be contained within a single genre. Her newest album is Healing. ruthiefoster.com
Jimmie Vaughan (9 p.m.)
"When I talk about country and blues, they're the same thing," four-time Grammy winner Jimmie Vaughan says. "Muddy Waters and Hank Williams, Webb Pierce and Jimmy Reed. It's American music. I'm tired of trying to pigeonhole everything. I want to bring it together; it comes from the same place." When the Texas native first heard songs like Phil Upchurch's "You Can't Sit Down," The Nightcaps' "Wine, Wine, Wine" and B.B. King's hit songs in the early 1960s, he knew he had found his music. It's been a constant quest to play the blues ever since, whether it was in early 1970s Austin bands like Storm and then the Fabulous Thunderbirds, later with brother Stevie Ray Vaughan on their Family Style album, and on his own releases. jimmievaughan.com
Blues on the Fox: Day Two
Saturday, June 17
Gates open at 2 p.m.
Joey J. Saye (3 p.m.)
“I attended Blues on the Fox in 2014 and got to see Jimmie Vaughan,” recalls Joey J. Saye, who grew up in Aurora, home of the festival. “My friend knew him personally so I got to meet him backstage where he shared stories for an hour or so. It was a life changing event.” Hearing Vaughan, Muddy Waters and Memphis Minnie’s music ignited his passion for the blues and he traded in his athletic gear for his guitar. Today, Saye is making a name for himself throughout Chicagoland, all over the US, and abroad. jjsayemusic.com
Mud Morganfield (5 p.m.)
Muddy Waters or Mud Morganfield? It’s almost impossible to tell. But nothing would please the eldest son of legendary bluesman Muddy Waters more than hearing people say he sounds just like his late father. Blues fans were introduced to Mud at a tribute concert to his father in 2007, but his Chicago Blues Festival performance that same year brought him instant recognition. His albums are Son Of The Seventh Son, For Pops and They Call Me Mud. His newest Delmark Records CD, Portrait, comprises the entirety of Son Of The Seventh Son, plus two new tracks, “Praise Him” and “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl.”
Kenny Neal (7 p.m.)
Kenny Neal and his Big 7 Piece Band were the band EVERYONE was talking about after their performance at the 2022 Blues Music Awards in Memphis. Neal, a native of Baton Rouge, is a second generation Bluesman and one of the strongest modern proponents of Louisiana Swamp Blues. His Dad, a harmonica player, played with Buddy Guy and Slim Harpo, who gave Kenny his first harmonica at age 3. At 13, Kenny started playing in his dad’s band. At 17, Neal was recruited by no other than Buddy Guy to play bass in his band. In 2017, Neal’s Bloodline was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album, with Best Contemporary Blues Album and Best Contemporary Blues Artist to his BMA collection. He was again awarded Best Contemporary Blues Artist in 2019. His latest release, Straight from The Heart in 2022, includes collaborations with Grammy-winner Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Tito Jackson and Rockin’ Dopsie. kennyneal.net
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram (9 p.m.)
Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Christone “Kingfish” Ingram just won his fourth consecutive Blues Music Award from the Blues Foudnation for Top Contemporary Male Artist. He has become the defining blues voice of his generation since the release of Kingfish, his Grammy-nominated 2019 Alligator Records debut, and 662, his 2021 Grammy-winning sophomore album. From his hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi to stages around the world, the 23-year-old has headlined three U.S. tours, performed at Australia’s largest music fest, amazed fans across Europe and the UK, and opened for The Rolling Stones in London’s Hyde Park. He has also performed with Vampire Weekend, Jason Isbell and Buddy Guy, with whom he appeared on Austin City Limits. His first album Kingfish debuted on the Billboard Blues Chart at #1 and remained on the chart for 91 weeks. In addition to receiving a Grammy nomination, Kingfish was named the #1 Best Blues Album Of The Year by MOJO and #1 on Living Blues magazine’s Top 50 Albums Of The Year Radio Chart. As soon as 662 dropped in 2021, fans, critics, and radio stations showered the album with praise. It also debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart, won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album, the Blues Music Award for Best Blues Album, topped the DownBeat and Living Blues critics’ polls, and was selected by MOJO as the Best Blues Album Of The Year. Since his 2019 debut, Kingfish has been nominated for nine Blues Music Awards and won them all. christonekingfishingram.com
The 26th Blues on the Fox Festival is sponsored by Rush Copley Medical Center and Quad County African American Chamber of Commerce.
The Troubadour Project
Saturday, June 24, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $15 early bird; $20 starting June 1
The Troubadour Project, from Atlanta, Georgia, features touring musicians from Sugarland, Jennifer Nettles, Sheryl Crow, Noel Gallagher, Elton Live! and more. The band faithfully recreates all the sounds, vibe and essence of the most iconic rock bands from the '70s. From Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Eagles, Wings, Heart, to Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Frampton and ELO, these ARE the artists that created the soundtrack of our lives. troubadourband.com
Downtown Alive! presents Too Hype Crew
Friday, June 30, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $2 early bird; $5 starting June 1
There is simply no band anywhere like Chicago’s Too Hype Crew. It’s a full-blown old school hip hop experience – a tribute to '80s, '90s, early '00s hip hop, featuring all live music from a six piece band, accompanied by choreographed “Fly Girl” dancers. It’s a party band – it’s a show – it’s art – it’s a house party on stage – all packaged in a family friendly way. toohypecrew.com
The Downtown Alive! concert series is sponsored by EarthMover Credit Union, R.C. Wegman Construction and Xfinity.
4th of July Celebration
With DJ Suave Smooth
Monday, July 3, gates open at 6 p.m. gates; fireworks start at 9:20 p.m.
Free
Fireworks over RiverEdge Park and DJ Suave Smooth
Bring out the family for a free fireworks show from the City of Aurora. RiverEdge Park is the perfect place to view them, and enjoy a live DJ, dancing and a fireworks display along the gorgeous Fox River.
Downtown Alive! presents 7th heaven
Friday, July 7, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $2 early bird; $5 starting June 1
7th heaven has been a Chicagoland pop rock staple for 38 years, best known for their signature “30 Songs in 30 Minutes” medley of hits from the '70s and '80s. They’ve charted #1 on the Midwest Billboard chart three times, had seven major radio hits, toured the world playing Vegas, the U.K., Amsterdam, Panama and Mexico, earning the right to say..."we've seen a million faces and rocked them all!" 7thheavenband.com
The Downtown Alive! concert series is sponsored by EarthMover Credit Union, R.C. Wegman Construction and Xfinity.
Styx
With special guest SIIN
Tuesday, July 11, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $50/$179 VIP
Don't miss Styx, the multi-megamillion-selling band that has forged an indelible legacy on record and onstage. With a string of hits spanning four decades, Styx will deliver a powerhouse performance in their RiverEdge debut, featuring some of the greatest rock anthems of all time like "Come Sail Away," "Renegade," and "Mr. Roboto."
Styx is sponsored by Hines Supply.
Flo Rida with special guest Ying Yang Twins
Friday, July 21, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $49
Flo Rida (left) and the Ying Yang Twins
Pull on your apple bottom jeans and the boots with the fur, because Flo Rida and the Ying Yang Twins are bringing their hip-hop sounds to downtown Aurora. Flo Rida is famous for "Low," a top Billboard Hot 100 single for 10 weeks in 2007-8, and his No. 1 hits "Right Round" and "Whistle.” Crunk rap duo the Ying Yang Twins are best known for their party singles “Salt Shaker” and “Wait (The Whisper Song),” and collaborating with artists like Britney Spears and Lil Jon.
Hollywood Nights: The Bob Seger Experience
Friday, July 28, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $12 early bird; $20 starting June 1
Bob Seger fans rejoice! Hollywood Nights is coming back to Aurora after killer RiverEdge concerts in 2019 and 2021. Audiences don’t just get hit by pure American rock-and-roll classics like “Night Moves” and “Old Time Rock-n-Roll.” Fans get a 10-piece band everyone can sing along to – from “Turn the Page” to “Against the Wind” and “Travelin’ Man.” hollywoodnightsband.com
Hollywood Nights is sponsored by Old Second National Bank and Dolan & Murphy.
Stayin’ Alive: One Night of The Bee Gees
Saturday, August 5, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $12 early bird; $20 starting June 1
Stayin' Alive is the ultimate tribute band to the Bee Gees, capturing the excitement of live performance and the tender subtleties of the human voice! Experience blockbusters like "Night Fever," "Jive Talkin," "How Deep Is Your Love," and "You Should Be Dancing." stayinalivetribute.com
Get the Led Out: A Night of "The Mighty Zep"
Friday, August 18, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $15 early bird; $24 starting June 1
From the bombastic and epic, to the folky and mystical, Get the Led Out (GTLO) have captured the essence of the recorded music of Led Zeppelin and brought it to the concert stage. The Philadelphia-based group delivers Led Zeppelin live, like you’ve never heard before, re-creating the songs in all their depth and glory with the studio overdubs that Zeppelin themselves never performed. No wigs or fake English accents, GTLO brings what the audience wants…a high energy Zeppelin concert with an honest, heart-thumping intensity. gtlorocks.com
Get the Led Out is sponsored by Kluber Architects + Engineers.
Poi Dog Pondering
Saturday, August 26, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $30 early bird; $40 starting June 1
Frank Orrall
Poi Dog Pondering is not your typical band. Poi Dog is a celebration of humanity, life and love. With their genre-bending blend of rock, folk, jazz, and world music, this iconic Chicago band creates a sonic tapestry that has defied categorization for over 30 years.
Poi Dog Pondering is sponsored by Heartland Recycling.
I Want My ‘80s Tour: Rick Springfield, The Hooters, Paul Young and Tommy Tutone
Thursday, August 31, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $39
Grammy-winning rocker Rick Springfield, the artist behind ‘80s hits “Jessie’s Girl” and “Human Touch,” brings his power pop sound to RiverEdge Park, with special guests The Hooters, Paul Young and Tommy Tutone. rickspringfield.com
REO Speedwagon
With special guest Edwin McCain
Saturday, September 2, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $50
When REO Speedwagon played a sold-out show at RiverEdge Park in 2021, the City of Aurora gave the iconic band a Key to the City.This Labor Day weekend, the Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Famers will use that key to unlock another amazing live show.
Fronted by iconic vocalist Kevin Cronin since 1972, REO Speedwagon’s unrelenting drive, non-stop touring and recording gave legions of fans massive hit singles like “Keep On Loving You,” “Take It On the Run,” “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” “Time For Me To Fly,” and “Roll With The Changes.” Today, REO Speedwagon has sold more than 40 million albums, and are still electrifying audiences worldwide. Reospeedwagon.com
Aurora Water Lantern Festival
Saturday, September 16, 4:30 p.m.
Tickets: $0-$40
Experience the magicf Water Lantern Festival where you’ll enjoy tasty food trucks, fun music and an incredible sight as thousands of floating lanterns reflect messages of love, hope and happiness. Waterlanternfestival.com
How to rock your RiverEdge Park experience
RiverEdge Park is a general admission venue. Bag chairs are recommended. Bag chairs and blankets are allowed on lawn areas. Standing room only next to the stage.
RiverEdge is located right across the street from Metra’s Aurora Transportation Center. Drivers can find paid parking in the Metra lot, with more public and private lots around the park and in downtown Aurora.
Concessions include a diverse menu and bar with domestic and craft beers, wine, sodas, bottled water and more. Local food trucks also ring the back lawn. Outside food is welcome. No alcohol or other outside beverages are allowed, with the exception of two sealed bottles of unflavored water per person. Visit the Park’s Plan Your Visit page for more information, directions, parking options and outside food policies.
Events at RiverEdge Park take place rain or shine, unless conditions endanger the safety of artists and the public. For the latest weather updates, follow @RiverEdgeAurora on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, call the RiverEdge Park Weather Line, (630) 723-2480, or text REPARK to 888777.
About RiverEdge Park
RiverEdge Park, 360 N. Broadway St., in downtown Aurora, Illinois, is an idyllic outdoor summer concert venue, serving up live music, delicious festival food, cool beverages and a great time, all overlooking downtown Aurora and the beautiful Fox River.
RiverEdge Park debuted in 2013 and was renamed Thomas J. Weisner RiverEdge Park in 2016 in honor of late Aurora Mayor Thomas J. Weisner. RiverEdge is anchored by the contemporary John C. Dunham performance pavilion, with state-of-the-art acoustics and lighting set against a beautiful night sky. With a capacity of up to 6,000, RiverEdge combines live concert excitement with a warm community feel and gorgeous views of the Fox River.
RiverEdge Park is managed and programmed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority (ACCA), which also oversees Aurora’s historic Paramount Theatre, the newly renovated, 165-seat Copley Theater across the street from Paramount, and the Paramount School of the Arts. For tickets and information, visit riveredgeaurora.com or call (630) 896-6666.
RiverEdge Park is sponsored by Dunham Foundation, City of Aurora, Progressive Business Solutions, Jake’s Inc., Hollywood Casino Aurora, Invest Aurora, Baird and Warner Naperville/The Byrne Group, Globe Management, Paul Gregory Media, Youngren’s Heating and Cooling, Olsson Roofing, Machinery Systems and Integration, Unilock Pavers and Walls and Fairview Dental.