New Weekly Live Music Series To Debut In July In Geneva

GENEVA, IL — Locals and visitors will soon have more opportunities to hear live music for free in downtown Geneva.

A new program, called the Sunday Sidewalk Sessions, will debut July 5, bringing the sound of local musicians to Third and State streets Sunday afternoons. Visitors can expect to hear four musicians perform weekly through Sept. 27, excluding festival weekends.

Two restaurants — Preservation and Atlas Chicken Shack — got together to create the program in order to encourage locals to stroll downtown and discover what's around while listening to live music.

Sunday Sidewalk Sessions is funded by the city's Destination Geneva Grant, which supports events and initiatives designed that enhance Geneva's destination appeal. The hope is to increase visits and overnight stays, create unique experiences, promote economic development and foster community connections, city officials said.

The maximum grant amount under the program is $10,000 per event or project. When the initiative was first approved last year, the maximum reimbursement amount for special events was $2,500.