The Naperville Park Board is to discuss draft agreements Thursday for the new Naperville Salute event over Fourth of July weekend and a new holiday lights show in December at its Thursday meeting.
Naperville Salute was to debut last year but was canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why the park board never voted on the agreement with Naperville Responds for Veterans. However, the group did hold a July 4 fireworks show at Frontier Park, near Neuqua Valley High School.
This year the plan is to hold the full event on July 2-3 at Rotary Hill along the Naperville Riverwalk and a fireworks display on July 4 at Frontier Park.
The event succeeds Naperville Ribfest, which had been annually held over the Fourth of July weekend until being moved to a new location in Romeoville.
Brad Wilson, Naperville Park District’s director of recreation and facilities, said it’s typical to ask the park board to sign off on plans for large events/festivals to be held on park grounds.
A possible holiday lights show, which would likely be held at the Frontier Park Sports Complex, is also to be reviewed, Wilson said.
“We’re just having discussions around that and whether or not it’s something the district should pursue,” Wilson said of the proposal.
It’s tentatively being called “Reindeer Road” because it has no official name as of now, he said.
It is not related to the Manchester Lights proposal, a private holiday show that its organizer had suggested moving to the West Street athletic fields earlier this year because it had grown too large for the Brookdale subdivision, where it had been held since 2012.
If Matt Baker wants to proceed with relocating his 2021 display, park district officials need to talk with him about the parameters in order to determine if it can be accommodated, Wilson said. Baker could not be reached for comment.
Also on Thursday’s meeting agenda are plans for playground renovations at the Frontier Sports Complex and at Kingshill Park and an asphalt trail connection to the Frontier Sports Complex.
The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Fort Hill Activity Center, 20 Fort Hill Drive.