If Nightmare on Chicago Street returns this year, it will cost an estimated $512,000 — 51% more than two years ago.
The rising costs of materials, supply chain issues, limited rental availability and a shortage of volunteers are all playing a role in the increased expense, Special Events Coordinator Kate O’Leary told the Elgin City Council this week.
In 2019, the city spent about $340,000 on the one-night Halloween production, which turns downtown Elgin into the scene of a zombie apocalypse.
A big chunk of this year’s budget for the event — $150,000 — is for labor, up $20,000 what was spent two years ago. Production equipment is estimated at $130,000 and another $110,000 is earmarked for professional services, including bands.
While other special events, including the Fourth of July parade, fireworks and concert are doable, city staff remains uncertain that Nightmare on Chicago Street remains feasible, O’Leary said.
“2022 is bringing hope for a return to normalcy in terms of gathering and things to do,” O’Leary said. “Yet there are several obstacles in terms of planning events that need to be considered.”
One of the biggest is having enough manpower to pull off an event that’s the size of Nightmare, which is a huge undertaking that draws thousands of people to the city.
“Part of the concern here is that because we lost the momentum after a two-year (pandemic) hiatus, our volunteer base is severely diminished,” O’Leary said. “We are effectively starting from scratch in terms of building this event.”
Councilman Corey Dixon questioned how much the city might stand to lose were it to be held with such a big spike in costs.
O’Leary said Elgin has never made money from the event but typically recouped about two-thirds of the expense through ticket sales. The event committee has been looking a 5% ticket price increase, but “we don’t want to price ourselves out,” she said.
Councilman Steve Thoren said he believed there’s “a huge hidden return (from the event) that’s not measurable that benefits this town.”
An antique shop owner told him a few years ago the festival is the shop’s most profitable day of the year, he said, and it’s the one day of the year The Owls Club, a private group on Chicago Street, opens to the public.
“They do 10 times more business that day than any other time of the year,” Thoren said.
City staff will present additional information to the council next month before a final decision needs to be made, O’Leary said. They’re also continuing to seek more volunteers, she said.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
