Taste Of Joliet 2022: Ann Wilson, Collective Soul

JOLIET, IL — The Joliet Park District has not held its popular Taste of Joliet the past two summers because of health concerns from the coronavirus. Now, it appears the Taste of Joliet will finally return this summer with Sugar Ray, Collective Soul and Ann Wilson of Heart.

On Saturday, the entertainment section for the Taste of Joliet website listed Sugar Ray as performing at 6:45 p.m., Collective Soul at 8 p.m. and Ann Wilson of Heart at 9:30 p.m. as the headlining acts for Friday, June 24.

Around 6:20 p.m., Joliet Patch reached out to Joliet Park District Executive Director Brad Staab for comment, pointing out to him that Sugar Ray, Collective Soul and Ann Wilson of Heart were already listed on the Taste of Joliet's website as the main music acts for Friday, June 24.

For Saturday's country night, June 25, the Taste of Joliet website listed Maddie & Tae for 6 p.m., Jimmie Allen for 7:45 p.m. and Brett Young for 9 p.m.

"We will make a formal announcement in a few weeks," Staab responded.

By 9 p.m. Saturday, the Taste of Joliet website listing Sugar Ray, Collective Soul and Ann Wilson as the three main headliners for June 24 at Taste of Joliet was removed, and the music acts for Saturday's increasing popular country music night was also taken down.

"We are very sorry but... You have found a page that has been moved or no longer exists," the new message on the Taste of Joliet website read.

Joliet Patch discovered the June 24 lineup of Sugar Ray, Collective Soul and Ann Wilson after realizing the Taste of Joliet's previously booked acts for 2020 and 2021, Vince Neil of Motley Crue and Bret Michaels of Poison, have already announced they are touring this summer with Def Leppard and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.

Because Michaels and Neil are booked for June 24 at Citi Field in New York, it would be impractical for them to perform at Joliet's Memorial Stadium for Taste of Joliet on the same date.

Three months after announcing Neil and Michaels as the June 26, 2020 headliners, Staab announced that the upcoming Taste of Joliet was canceled because of uncertainty regarding the coronavirus. "Each of the artists that are scheduled to perform at Taste of Joliet 2020 are intending to play next year, barring any scheduling conflicts from events that were forced to be rescheduled for 2021," Staab said at the time.

But on May 4, 2021, the Joliet Park District issued a news release announcing the Taste of Joliet will be canceled for the second straight summer.

"Due to the uncertainty regarding COVID protocols as we near summer, and in the interest of safety for our fans, volunteers, staff, vendors, partners and entertainers, the 2021 Taste of Joliet will not go on as scheduled," Staab stated last May. "Unfortunately, there are just too many unknowns to host an event for 55,000-plus people in June."

On Saturday night, New Lenox's long-time Mayor Tim Baldermann complimented Staab and his Joliet Park District for lining up Ann Wilson and Collective Soul as its two primary headlining acts for Taste of Joliet.

"It sounds like it will be a great weekend for the Taste of Joliet," Baldermann told Joliet Patch's Editor. "They're great acts. Collective Soul and Heart, Ann and Nancy, put on great shows for us. The band, Collective Soul, was very, very, good for us."

This summer will mark the 13th year for New Lenox's Triple Play concert series. After canceling for the summer 2020, New Lenox still had its Triple Play concert series last summer, featuring ZZ Top, Billy Idol and the BoDeans & Soul Asylum.

In years past, New Lenox had Collective Soul perform for the Triple Play concert series as well as both Wilson sisters, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, Baldermann said.

Baldermann told Joliet Patch he's hoping to unveil the New Lenox lineup for the 2022 Triple Play concert series in a few weeks.

According to the Taste of Joliet website, past entertainers include:

• Sammy Hagar
• Cole Swindell
• Little Big Town
• Brett Eldredge
• Billy Currington
• Dan + Shay
• Hunter Hayes
• Zendaya
• REO Speedwagon
• Kane Brown
• Brothers Osborne
• Scotty McCreery
• Chris Lane
• Trace Adkins
• Chase Rice
• Foreigner
• Kansas
• Big & Rich
• Styx
• Cheap Trick
• Dustin Lynch
• Tyler Rich
• 38 Special
• Rick Springfield
• Kenny Rogers
• Pat Benatar
• Eddie Money
• Night Ranger
• Cody Simpson
• Parmalee
• Frankie Ballard
• Survivor
• Eric Paslay
• A Thousand Horses
• Thompson Square
• David Nail
• Easton Corbin
• Josh Turner
• Dennis DeYoung
• RaeLynn
• Danielle Bradbury
• Jo Dee Messina
• Plain White T’s
• Dillon Carmichael
• KC & the Sunshine Band
• Everclear
• Loverboy
• Julianne Hough
• Shane Harper
• Lonestar