It’s a weekend of indie music and craft beer set against the Fox River.
Yorkville’s fifth annual Summer Solstice Festival returns to Riverfront Park for two days of music, beer and summer fun June 23 and 24.
Summer Solstice Festival is presented by Rogue Barrister Records along with Three Angels Brewing. Admission is free; people who wish to consume alcohol need to buy a $5 wristband.
Gates open at 4 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday. Music ends around 10:30 p.m. each night. Bands will perform on two stages at the park as well as at The Law Office Pub and Music Hall (226 S. Bridge St.), Rowdy’s (10 S. Bridge St.) and Casa Santiago (227 Heustis St.), said organizer Boyd Ingemunson, owner of Rogue Barrister Records and The Law Office.
“We always went later in the past but we’ve seen attendance waning as the night goes on,” he said. “Now, we close the festival a little bit earlier and we have after-shows going on … we direct people into the establishments downtown that are a little more conducive to having people late as opposed to having an outdoor event.
“It seems to work out well because you get an attendance drop off — people have sitters and stay out ’til 10 or 11, but they aren’t going to stay out much later so you get a significant drop-off after that time.”
The fest has made few changes since its inception, preferring to keep focus on good beer and good music, he said.
“Just basically streamline it, strip it down to the bare essentials and do those really well,” he said. “It tends to work.”
Back again this year is the Summer Solstice Four Miler road race and two-mile run/walk at 7 p.m. Friday in downtown Yorkville, coordinated by the Yorkville Cross Country program.
Another fun component of the Summer Solstice Festival is the Solstice Water Break, a canoe flotilla on the Fox River from Oswego to Yorkville. The float takes place in partnership with the Kendall County Forest Preserve District and the Forest Foundation of Kendall County and goes from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Those interested can purchase tickets online, which cost $60 and include a seat in a canoe, transportation, pizza by Rosati’s Pizza, a festival token good for one drink and a wristband for alcohol purchase.
“It’s always a fun thing to do to kick off the festival Saturday morning, for people to take a nice canoe ride,” Ingemunson said.
To make it a little more special this year, The Giving Tree Band will perform an acoustic show on an island for canoers.
Friday night features music by bands such as Porlolo, Jack Mack and the Lesser Stags, Kristen Diable, Me Like Bees and Blackfoot Gypsies. Saturday includes performances by Cory Chisel, Susto, Lolo, Patrick Sweany, Cereus Bright, Frederick the Younger and Wild Fur.
He curated the bands himself through previous connections or word of mouth.
“A lot of the bands that are playing have played at The Law Office previously so we know what type of people they are,” he said. “In the past, we’ve had more Americana and folk-based acts. This year, we have more alternative, independent music as opposed to folk music.
“Cory Chisel has played our fest every year and he’s kind of a folk-rocker. But Susto and Lolo are more alternative. Blackfoot Gypsies and Me Like Bees are two of our main acts Friday night.
“Blackfoot Gypsies are kind of like a Black Crows-throwback band and Me Like Bees are kind of like a Modest Mouse-type independent band. Kristen Diable is a little more mellow; she’s a female lead vocalist, guitar player out of New Orleans so she has a Southern, kind of sultry sound to her.
“Saturday afternoon we have Wild Fur, Cereus Bright and Frederick the Younger,” he said. “They are on the alternative side, a little bit lighter but an alternative sound. They have a lot of melodies. It’s a little different than we’ve had in the past but very palatable for everyone.”
While there will be wine and other beverages, beer is the star of the fest.
They’ll be tapping several unique brews from local breweries over the course of the festival, Ingemunson said. Brewers include Three Angels Brewing and Pollyanna Brewing Company, among others.
“We’ll have about eight handles that will be pouring throughout the festival that will be different craft breweries and then we’ll have a cider that will be an option for people,” he said. “And then we have special tappings in coordination with the set time for a band. We’ll announce that every hour or so.”
Beer is purchased by tokens, which cost $6 apiece or four for $20, he said.
If you would like to camp, there are campsites nearby like Hoover Forest Preserve and Silver Springs State Park, he said.
“There’s a not a lot to it. It’s very basic but we do it well,” he said. “Lot of families there; we have henna tattoos and chalk for the kids. It’s really kind of a small-town feel to a unique, independent craft beer festival. And that’s what people really like about it.”
People who want to experience independent, cutting-edge music should give Summer Solstice Festival a chance, he said.
“Sturgill Simpson played Summer Solstice the first year and there were probably 60 people there because he played at 11 o’clock at night,” he said. “Now he’s playing to crowds of 15, 20,000 people and won a Grammy (for Best Country Album, 2016).
“The opportunity to see these bands in an environment where it’s very stripped down — you have an opportunity to actually talk to and meet the artists after their set — that’s a very personal aspect from the music side. We’re trying to provide a unique product for people in terms of the music and the beer in a very idyllic setting for people come out and enjoy.”
Annie Alleman is a freelance writer for The Beacon-News.
Summer Solstice Festival
When: June 23-24
Where: Riverfront Park, 301 E. Hydraulic St., Yorkville
Tickets: Free admission, $5 wristbands for those over 21 who want to buy alcohol
Information: 630-465-0623; www.summersolstice.roguebarristerrecords.com
