We won tickets for the Lantern Festival which is a family friendly event located at Rivers Edge Park. The festival runs from 430pm to 900pm. We arrived around 7 pm after dinner since we wanted to see the lantern launch. As you enter you are given a drawstring bag filled with a floating lantern kit,LED light,marker,playing cards and conversation cards. Apparently people said the lines to get the bags were very long when they opened. They did have a few food trucks throughout the park but again very long lines. As we walked around we saw various spots where people were launching their lanterns into the river..all different with pictures or messages written on them. Lines were long but people didn seem to care. Parking in the area is limited. I'm glad we went to see the lantern launch but I'm not sure I would go again after seeing the long lines. read more

RiverEdge Park - Lantern launch - Parks Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

Thanks to the Water Lantern Festival, I am now aware of this beautiful park and venue in Aurora, where the Fox River flows through. If more events were held here, I won't be mad. I can see myself enjoying an outdoor standing concert, weather permitting. I love how there's actual bathrooms on premise rather than porta potties, and they even have signage for going in and out, so there's no traffic jam. The water lantern festival also had several vendors and food trucks there -- the lines were long and I didn't end up getting anything. The check in process was easy and we were able to make our own with the supplies in our drawstring bag. While we were here, Isaiah Grass was performing on the John C. Dunham Pavilion, and he is definitely a local, young talent -- had no idea he was a former American Idol contestant. This place is a perfect way to admire the beauty of nature / outdoors while also being able to lounge on the grass, listen/watch a performance etc all beside the Fox River. It's also very conveniently located across from the Aurora Metra station (BNSF) line, and there's also plenty of parking there as well. I'd recommend this place to anyone in the area, event or not. read more

See all

Only been here for the water lantern festival. Venue was clean and plenty of parking across the street. I took off a couple stars because it's hard to see the lanterns in the river with all of the bushes. Also, they were missing 5 food vendors. read more

Such a fun venue! There's plenty of parking across the street for $10 and police escorts at both crosswalks. Security does check bags and coolers but the line moved quickly. There were several food trucks available for our concert and it was a nice variety with manageable lines. Bathrooms were clean (by stage) and port a potties by entrance were clean as well. We sat in the lawn before moving closer to the standing only area. Great sound, lovely crowd, fantastic show! Can't wait to return! read more

RiverEdge Park - a crowd of people sitting in lawn chairs watching a concert - Parks Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

See all

The park is beautiful. It is well organized and a great night out. My one star review is due to the security team. I went to see John Fogerty last night and as I went through security I had my money clip confiscated. The money clip had a very small knife (1/2 inch blade/nail file on the other end) and the the security guard (old white male) said either hand it over or bring it back to the car. I asked if he was kidding and he said no. I handed it over because it was a long walk back to the car in 90 degree heat. The next day I called and spoke to a nice woman on the phone who checked lost and found and said there were no money clips. All I can think of is security threw it out or kept it for himself, which means I was robbed by security at RiverEdge Park. read more

What gate where you at and. What. Time did u get there I can look it to it for you if you would like

The venue is great but whoever matched SIIN with the Styx fans made for a miserable hour! You have to know your people in the entertainment business and this was a huge miss! read more

Fun place filled with a variety of events. Nice place to go with friends and family on a Friday or Saturday evening. read more

Going to a concert here was one of the most civilized concerts I've ever been too. It wasn't overly crowded and people were not pushing and shoving. There is no smoking inside, so the air is fresh. There is a section designated for lawn chairs where you can bring your own chair. Bathrooms were clean and the lines were not terribly long. There's permanent bench seating available along the side where you can snag a seat if you come early enough. Parking is about $10 across the street at the metra parking lot. You can bring in outside food, but not outside beverages except for 2 SEALED bottles of unflavored water per person. Soft coolers are allowed. read more

See all

Great place to watch a concert. Venue is spacious and the food is not too expensive. Nice selection of beer and wine. They treat their wheelchair customers EXTREMELY well and set aside space with a clear view of the stage. We have attended various concerts here in the past and I cannot wait to get back out there! Parking across the street at the train station is plentiful (and cheap!) and it is less than a block walk. You are allowed to bring your own chairs and blankets and for some concerts your own coolers of food. read more

My first visit to REP was Saturday, 8/18 to see Gladys Knight and the O'Jays. The concert was AWESOME, especially Gladys but this review is about REP. This is an amazing venue. It has SO much potential to be a fun place to "play". Parking is a bit difficult, as it always is when that many people converge on a location that actually only has 3 sides because the entire west side is the Fox River. The Paramount Theater, who hosted this event, offers "free parking" at a local bank, but the website says nothing about the parking lot being across the river and a full mile south of the REP venue. This is not a bad walk, going in, but coming out at 11:30p at night it is a little more distance than I like to walk, alone. Back to the actual venue; assigned seating up front, BYO chair seating behind that. Come early if you are BYO chair. As you can imagine those seats go quickly. There is food and beverage vendors and plenty of washrooms, both "traditional" and port o' potties. The one huge issue I had was the "no camera" policy. Many people obviously walked in with cameras, some of them with "long lens" and you certainly can not take away a phone, but the "Social Media Police" as we came to call them were unbelievable, constantly nagging people to put away their phones, "absolutely no photos!" I don't like strange me leaning over me to nag at the woman down the isle taking pictures. Does management not get social media is free advertising? I was at this venue because someone posted a picture and I thought,"What a cool looking place. I've never been there." I found their badger guests about photos absolutely obnoxious. To the point of I will probably not return to this venue. Outdoors is supposed to be light, casual and fun. The Social Media Police ruined it for me and several others around me. Not Fun! read more

See all

I love this venue! It's right on the Fox River, holds 8500, not a bad seat in the house, attracts major talent AND has reasonable ticket prices! It's clean, features local food vendors, beer is reasonably priced-$5.00 parking is close, you can bring in 2 waters each, security does their job.... I can go on and on! So far, I attended the following shows Hollywood Vampires, America, Boz Skaggs, Blues on the Fox- featuring Elvin Bishop & Jonny Lang and a few others. Upcoming shows- John Fogarty, Steve Miller, Peter Frampton, Alabama, and the Southern Uprising Tour! Now a Guinness World Record Holder for the most Head Bangers to Bohemian Rhapsody in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Wayne's World! Great community spirit! Always fun! read more

See all

Great venue. Arrived at 5:30 pm for the door opening at 6. A line was there already but was still able to put our lawn chairs on concrete. Plenary of food vendors and bathrooms were very clean. REO was awesome! Beautiful weather and an awesome night. read more

Cool outdoor venue. Took my mother to see Boz Scaggs & we had a wonderful time. The staff was efficient and although it was packed it was organized and all lines ran smoothly. Even beverage & restroom lines ran efficiently. Great job staff! read more

Very disappointing. They switched our reserve seat tickets to general admission. They said they sent us an email but we checked and rechecked and we never received email. Ended up without chairs and standing way back due to people coming early. We expected to sit in row 6, ended up way back. Make sure if you have reserved tickets they do not switch them on you last minute. read more

Staff don't know where the seats are and are seating people all over n the wrong seats. The bands tonight are good bands, but the audio board operator should have his hearing checked because the sound sucked. Very disappointed!!! read more

This venue is just ok for a concert. We went to see Frampton there and he put on a very entertaining show but I was disappointed by the venue. First off the ticket booth we went to had a computer go down or something after waiting in line for several minutes they finally tell us to go to another booth. Then to get in is such a hassle, they put a wrist band on you for some reason and then if you want to buy alcohol you have to get another one. Then the lines for any food or beer were a mile long and didn't die down until Framptom's show started. We were sitting way in the back and couldn't hardly see the stage. They should have large screens for this purpose. Give me Ravinia any day or even the venue down in Tinley park. read more

My friends and I went to RiverEdge Park for the Idina Menzel show this weekend. I definitely recommend checking out different websites (ie Goldstar) or even the Paramount box office for discounted or complementary tickets-- I was able to get free reserved seats for Idina! Our evening started at Two Brothers Roundhouse which is just across the street. I noticed a lot of people going there after the show as well. We left our car in that lot as we walked to the pavilion. Many people parked at the Metra station and while it is very convenient, you will literally be in gridlock after the show. Park at your discretion. They have a pretty good concession stand, as well as many beverage options at pretty standard event venue prices. They do bag check, but you are allowed to bring water in. My only complaint is that there are no jumbotron monitors. Especially since the back of the general admission lawn area is pretty far from the stage, you're definitely just listening to the concert at that point, as you will not be able to see anything. It would still be cozy and fun though-- bring lawn chairs/blankets! read more

RiverEdge Park - Stage from lawn seats, with more seating behind - Parks Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

See all

On a nice summer night, it's a fun affordable way to see a concert. Take a group of friends and get there early with your folding chair. It's a good time. A few food options and drinks are available to purchase. read more

My husband and I have two dogs who are Shih Tzu Pomeranian mixed breeds. Lady is our first dog. Lucky is our second one. They love walking around here with me. read more

One of our favorite Summer places. The food and drinks are closer to reasonable than most venues and it's a great atmosphere. Not a big fan of the huge space the have now taken over for VIP seating. Part of the charm is bringing your own chairs in and being comfortable. The sound is great and it's easy to get around inside the park. The parking can be problematic if you don't get there early as the lot always fills up. Security is tight you can't bring much of anything in and they search everything but in this day and age I guess that's to be expected. Beautiful venue and they get some great bands, we look forward to it every yeat read more

Love this venue. The shows are reasonable, and even food and drink is not expensive. The main vendor is Two Brothers, and their pulled pork sammy is delish! I digress... The stage is high enough that you can see everything from everywhere, This park is actually a city park open to the public and right on the river path every other day of the week, so they would have to take down any equipment like that after all shows. The sound is AMAZING, as there are this high tech digital speakers scattered all over. The kids can keep playing behind the grassy mound and your favorite folding chair or a familiar blanket is your seat for the performance. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon or evening. I am sure there will be something this summer that you will love to see..... read more

What a beautiful outdoor concert venue RiverEdge Park has! And I didn't realize it just opened early this year! New to the area, I didn't know about the summer concert series at RiverEdge Park until I received a Groupon email about Frampton's Guitar Circus three days before the event. I jumped on the half-off offer and apparently many others did the same thing, as we arrived 1.5 hours before the concert to pick up tickets with Groupon vouchers and saw folks with same vouchers in hand. Parking across the park at the Metra Lot for $5 (event parking) was a breeze. There were two small windows for Groupon ticket pickup, one for last names A to J, the other for K to Z which had a much longer line. After getting the tickets, we lined up again to get in. By the time the gates were open (a few minutes later than the stated time), lines were long and crowd grew impatient. Staff at the gate put wristbands on attendees one by one, which slowed down the whole process--wouldn't it be quicker if we were given the wrist bands when getting the tickets and put them on ourselves? Cameras were not allowed (but cell phones ok) and bags were checked. We set up our lawn chairs in the front rows of the general admission area and it was near perfect: clear view of the elevated stage, in the shade and close to restroom. The concert started right on time and rocked on for hours. I actually felt bad for paying only $17 to see so many talents all in one place: Sonny Landreth, Peter Frampton, Larry Carlton, Rick Nielson and some young hands definitely played some magic guitars! Oh, where else can you hear BB King sing You Are My Little Sunshine? ("The Thrill Is Gone" was more like it.) Food was mediocre, as expected in this kind of venues. Beer was plenty, and the line outside of men's room was long towards the end of the concert. Despite some growing pains, the Pavilion at RiverEdge Park is a kick-ass outdoor music venue and I can't wait to attend another concert here! read more

See all

I've biked, walked and driven by this venue for years without actually seeing a show until this past Friday night. Glad I finally made my way in. The venue itself doesn't look like much. It's oblong with the audience funneling back, not much from side to side. I read somewhere that the venue holds 8500 but that seems like a stretch. As far as seating it's first come first serve unless you've got RSVP seating, which is extremely limited. You're more than likely going to want to bring your lawn chairs. Be sure to read about their chair rules. Depending on where you camp out, certain chairs may or may not be allowed. Small "soft" coolers are allowed but only food is permissible to bring in. They want you to buy their beer and soft drinks. If you're drinking, be sure to get a wrist band upon entry as it's required to purchase. Speaking of money, all of the vendors only accept cash. So hit the ATM before you come. Most importantly, if you want to sit close you'll need to arrive very early and camp out in the line. It's the only way you're assured a better spot. With multiple entrances the best place to camp out in a line is the one nearest to the stage. Onto the music. We saw Get The Led Out and they rocked. We sat on the back hill and felt the audio was clear and great. Even from this distance the stage almost entirely visible. The vendors were right in back of us and the bathrooms on the path next to the river. It's neat that this venue sits right on the river with the city in the backdrop. I also like the limited size of the place as well the fact that our seats near the back were just as nice as those well ahead of us thanks to the pitch of the hill. We'll be back for sure. Cheers. read more

Excellent venue for concerts or any live event. The area is clean, safe, and the prices are reasonable. The beverages are beer and wine and the food choices are few but are good. This is a great alternative to going into Chicago and parking at most is $5.00. They are drawing very big names from Loretta Lynn to Jason Derulo. The environment is is family friendly and safe. read more

RiverEdge Park - Parks Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

Not my first visit , parking a bit confusing , could use wines and spirits , very family friendly venue , great sound system could be more streamlined read more

I'm a fan of RiverEdge because outdoor venues are some of the best spots to listen to live music, however, there were some hiccups. We didn't arrive until 7pm, an hour before Lady A was suppose to take the stage and boy was it packed! We came from the back of the venue and was able to maneuver for a bit until people were allowed to sit on the walkways! Safety hazard surely. We than had to proceed cutting through the crowd, trying to avoid stepping on blankets and knocking over empty chairs that were saving more spots than actual people. We tried to see if we can get 2 spots closer to the front to no avail, it was overly packed, which was quite frustrating. We finally decided we'll stand in line to get some food and join the crowd up front in the standing area, which I was quite surprise wasn't packed. However, the food lines were ridiculous. I'm not sure where the "other" vendors were but the Two Brothers lines took over 45 minutes so by the time we were able to grab some beers and get our food the show was starting. We dropped our chairs off at the unattended designated chair area and was able to enjoy the concert in the standing room zone. Lady A are amazing performers and I definitely sang my heart out! However, the show started at 8pm and ended at 9:20pm, what a short show, I was super bummed and RiverEdge seriously needs to be mindful about overselling for a show because there were hundreds if not thousands of people behind the big hill they have that surely could not have seen the stage at all. I still give it 4 stars because I LOVE LADY A and it was reasonably priced at $50. read more

I suppose if you are willing to arrive super early for a music festival to find a spot for your chairs, this place would be alright. Arriving halfway through (before 2 headliners), we set up on the grass in direct sun. No shade available anywhere. We were barely able to spy the screen between tree leaves. The website was unclear about concessions so we ate elsewhere to find out there were several food trucks plus Genoa Deli with food for purchase. Bummer but now we know for next time. Here's the problem, zero enforcement of drink limits and no clear indication of where lines began or ended, I waited in line for the entire 3rd act. The whole set. For 2 drinks. People ahead of me were ordering 6-12 at a time. That held up the line considerably. If you have a drink limit in place, which River Edge does, enforce it. Also, once crowds became heavier, the walkways were full of chairs. Huge safety hazard. I saw no staff in the crowd so I assume there is no crowd control in place. I was excited about attending the 20th Blues on the Fox and seeing a few of my favorite bands outdoors but the disorganized way it was run was really a turn off. We couldn't see, couldn't get a drink in a reasonable amount of time so I missed an entire set, and spent $$ elsewhere on food because of inaccurate information. Allowing for growth after 20 years and making improvements on the total experience would help. read more

My first time at RiverEdge Park was last night for the Hollywood Vampires, Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and Joe Perry. First, it was a great show. More importantly, the venue was very clean. Patrons are orderly. There are the few that wanted to stand in front of me as I was in the first row by the aisle, but security kept them moving pretty good. There's a lot of staff, security and police around the property. Gate 4 was supposed to open at 6:15pm, earlier than the other 3 gates, but that didn't happen. I wasn't too pleased that it was opened late even after 6:30pm when all other gates were to open. There is a security checkpoint to check bags, chairs, purses and coolers and you go through a metal detector. You get a band for entry and another band for alcohol. The seating is fantastic. You put your back chair legs on the line creating an aisle for people to walk down. However, there were a stream of people two rows behind us that didn't use the aisle and kept moving our chairs and squeezing between us. Finally, my husband said enough...use the aisle. You can bring in a collapsible 12x12" cooler with two sealed water bottles and food for each ticket. The women's bathroom, as always, had a line but if moved very quickly and they had staff in there to keep the flow (no pun intended) moving. Parking was an issue, though, as we arrived at 5:45pm and they blocked off entry into the lot across the street and we had to find parking (at a higher rate than $5) down the street. I knocked off a point for the late entry and the venue parking being closed off a half an hour before the gate 4 opened. If you say you can park in the big lot for $5, make sure you don't block it off. People get there early and line up for entry and your lot needs to be opened for that reason. Even with the late entry and parking fiasco, I will definitely be back. read more

RiverEdge Park - Alice Cooper - Parks Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

See all

I am so happy that a place like this is right down the block from me. Where some huge names have already played. This place is awesome, and I expect it to just get better. They have root beer floats that are crazy good because usually the sun is hitting the back of your neck making you feel like you are standing in hell... and that root beer and ice cream are so cold and yummy! I had bleacher seats, so the sound was great... but I have heard others complain that if you're not sitting in just the right spot that the sound quality sucks. I wouldn't know. Parking is easy and cheap across the street. Or if you're from out of town you could just take the train here and it's across the street from where the train lets out. You're right on the Fox River so the view is awesome. If you want to see the July 4th fireworks from here park your car at the top floor of the casino's parking and you don't even have to go here to see them. It'll give you a higher perspective and you'll be a lot closer to the fireworks this way. read more

This review is only for Irish Fest at this venue which we will never do again. $10.00 to get in was ridiculous! $10.00 for what? The first food vendor I saw was selling Polish Sausage! They said that there would be a Jameson tasting but that was another $9.00 to do that. We were not allowed to bring in our own water. They confiscated our water bottles and we were told that we could buy water for $2.00 a bottle. So, we spent $10.00 to get into this event and everything we were interested in, cost more money and we had to buy their water. There were very few vendors and sponsors. It was a beautiful day but a warm day so I really didn't want to buy an Irish sweater. The best thing was the Irish Wolf Hounds and the tent where you could get your name etched on a Guinness glass in just a few minutes. The line was long but well worth the wait. I would have loved to fill it with Guinness but you would have to leave the grounds to do that because they weren't there! WGN really did a good job advertising the festival for 3 hours that Friday but unless they make some radical changes, there will be no reason to go next year! read more

RiverEdge Park is the best. I live less than a mile away. I was am to take my twins to their 1st concert of EW&F. They always have great concerts there. The concerts are priced reasonably. I will continue to go to concerts every year. read more

Having gone to concerts at RiverEdge Park and Northerly Island in the same week, I can definitely say "Well done, Aurora!" Even before going to Northerly Island, I was really happy with the experience I had a RiverEdge. My cousin and I went to the Lady Antebellum concert and had a terrific time. We parked at the garage on Downer Pl and walked the few blocks to RiverEdge. It was around 7:30 and the park was packed with people; however, we were able to walk right in and up to a beverage vendor ($2 for water, they were also selling beer, but I don't remember the options/pricing - still far far less expensive than overpriced Northerly Island) and then walked right up to the front of the park where they have standing room only. We were 7 people from the edge of the stage. Not bad considering we arrived 30 minutes before the show started! The show itself was fantastic. Kudos to Aurora for getting Lady A! They put on an awesome show and it was clear that the fans loved it . . . at least those of us in the standing section. Everyone was singing, dancing and having a great time. I'm glad RiverEdge caters to both the standing and the sitting patrons. Frankly, I don't think I've ever sat at a concert, but I can appreciate those who like to relax with friends and family while listening to great music. Sure, if you're in the sitting area, you're not likely to see the stage, but that's the choice you make by sitting. The ticket prices were reasonable. Overall great experience! No complaints from me. I hope Aurora can continue to pull in big and small acts for RiverEdge. It should be great for the community and will hopefully encourage more restaurants and businesses to move into downtown Aurora. It's a great downtown area with a lot of potential. If RiverEdge is a catalyst for downtown growth, expansion and beautification . . .I'm all for it. I will definitely keep checking RiverEdge's website for event info and plan to go back in the future. read more

We had a wonderful experience seeing Weird Al at RiverEdge Park- the first event I had attended in the park. The event was very well staffed-security, employees, etc.- so everything moved very efficiently. I would recommend arriving around 6 pm for a 6:30 pm gate open if you are going to a popular show as there was a very long line already at 6:20 pm. Parking was quite easy, cost $5 for the show which seemed reasonable. The seating area at RiverEdge park is almost all concrete (some grass in the back) so I highly recommend bringing chairs not just blankets. There was a lot of seating, and lines painted on the ground to help ensure aisles between the lanes of chairs. You can bring your own food in and sealed bottles of water- I would double check the website for exact parameters. The food for sale was quite delicious and reasonably priced- I had hot dog, soda, funnel cake, and a beer for around $20 which seemed less than a typical venue. I would highly recommend taking in a show here this year- it was a blast! read more

Earlier this year, when I first gazed upon the newly completed River Edge Park in my hometown of Aurora, my first thought was "really?!? A big outdoor concert venue in Aurora? Never thought THAT would happen!" Clearly, I was gonna need to attend a show there ASAP. Well, I didn't get to go there until Friday August 16, when I saw "Peter Frampton's Guitar Circus." What a great show! Four hours of great guitar players, culminating in a high-energy set from Mr. Frampton and his band. Man, that guy still sounds great! River Edge Park has a LOT going for it! I walked around for a while to get an idea of the sound quality in various sections of the venue, and I gotta say that the sound was great everywhere! Being a musician myself, I'm quite picky (and sometimes complain) about that sort of thing! It should be noted that even while I was standing in line for beer or food (which were both very good BTW) I could always hear the concert perfectly! I thought the place looked great, everything was clean, the free parking lot was a less-than-10-minute walk away, and there were plenty of security personnel and uniformed police officers walking around to deal with any potentially unruly concertgoers. And now, the ONLY issue I had with the venue: why in the heck aren't there more bathrooms?!? The shortest wait time I had at any point in the evening was 10 minutes, and the longest was over 20. Not good! I think an easy solution might be a row of port-o-lets somewhere on the grounds... I'm certainly looking forward to next season's concert schedule at River Edge Park! See you there next summer! read more

This is a wonderful outdoor venue, a good variety of music, good sound system, but only 3 stars because they limit the amount of water you can bring into the park. You can bring food, and I can understand not allowing liquor (you can buy it there) but it makes no sense to limit water to 2liters a person. Also today was a 90 degree plus day,no cooling stations and no visible medical tents. It would seem Aurora is not concern about the well being of concert goerd read more

Here for Boston. what a joke. food lines are a mile long. lawn isn't flat so most everyone is sitting on a hill slopping down so all you can really see clearly are people sitting on top of the hill. not worth it unless u get here right when door opens. then u might get lucky to sit on top of hill parking is ridiculous. won't be doing this again. read more

RiverEdge Park - Parks Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

Nice open air concert venue. General admission seating. Just a few bench seats provided so bring lawn chairs. Plenty of capacity. Ample parking in the Metra lot across the street. read more

RiverEdge Park - Cat Fight up first. - Parks Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

The heat index is over 100 and they keep insisting you can only bring in two bottles of water per person. No medical staff to be seen and we were having issues with the heat. There were a couple of staff members going out of their way to try and help but they seem more concerned about sales of drinks than peoples health today. No one within 60 feet but you cannot put up an umbrella to block the sun. read more

Saw OneRepublic at the venue in August 2018. First time seeing a show there! Well organized and sound was great! The reserved section was on a slant, so you had a great view of the stage from any seat. read more