After A Year Of Construction, The Venue's Grand Opening Is Today

OSWEGO, IL — After a little more than a year of construction, the Oswego Entertainment Venue's grand opening is set for Aug. 19.

Starting at 4:30 p.m., guests are invited to the venue to enjoy non-alcoholic drinks, listen to live music and be part of the official opening.

"This is what can be accomplished when a community works together with a single vision, and I could not be more excited," Village President Troy Parlier said in a statement. "This venue demonstrates the best of Oswego, and I hope everyone will come out to thank our partners who have made this project possible."

Though the venue isn't officially open, there have been a handful of events there already, and many more are planned in the upcoming weeks, most notably VetFest, which starts Aug. 26.

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Earlier in July, the village hosted a free concert by Sojourn Rocs in the parking lot of the venue, promoting the space. Movies in the Parks was also held at the venue, with the last showing — screening "The Greatest Showman" — Thursday.

The outdoor venue, at 1010 Station Drive, started construction in March last year on a three-acre plot of land. Parlier announced the $750,000 project during his annual State of the Village address last year.

The land on which it was built was donated to the village in 2019 by the owner of the adjoining Oswego Junction Shopping Center. Under Kevin Fialko's terms for the land, the village was required to develop a venue for outdoor live performances and music entertainment within three years, Patch reported.

"It was leveraging existing infrastructure, and it was cost-effective," Parlier said in 2019. "It helped cement our future train stop with Metra. It creates economic activity along Orchard Road, which has long been dormant, and it creates a gathering place for our community to see the talent of our community."

Later this year as autumn nears, Oswego residents will be able to pick up a free pumpkin at the venue Oct. 17, and children are encouraged to come in costumes.

More information about the grand opening and the venue can be found on the village's website.

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