Singer Chloe Hayes floated out onto the DuPage River on a custom-built floating stage Tuesday, July 15, performing a cappella just west of the covered bridge while Riverwalk strollers stopped mid-step to listen.
It was the first time River Sounds' new stage actually made it onto the water. The week before, Fourth of July flooding kept the series landlocked. Storms dropped 4 to 6.5 inches of rain on Naperville over that holiday weekend, according to the Chicago Tribune, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources closed both branches of the DuPage River to boaters because of swift currents and debris.
"I was envisioning a pier but hey, this magic carpet vibe definitely works for me," Hayes said after stepping onto the platform built by Freightwood Productions and Naperville Kayak.
The floating stage replaces the standard boat performers used during River Sounds' debut season last summer. Katie Wood, executive director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance, said the upgrade gives organizers more stability and room for multiple performers at once.
Free, funded by SECA
River Sounds costs nothing to attend. The six-week Tuesday-night series is funded by a $40,500 Special Events and Community Arts (SECA) grant from the city of Naperville, according to the city's 2026 SECA awards document. The Downtown Naperville Alliance had requested $54,850. The city council approved more than $1.2 million in discretionary SECA grants across 80-plus community events and projects this cycle.
Shannon Greene Robb of Arranmore Events, who co-produces the series with the Downtown Naperville Alliance, said the format is simple: music starts at 6:30 p.m. on dry land at the Naperville Jaycees Smart Park behind the Municipal Center, near the Water Street district. At 8 p.m., a second act floats out onto the river and plays until 9 p.m. Performers are kept secret until showtime.
"People come and they bring lawn chairs or blankets and they read books, and it's just kind of a big breath, which is really wonderful," Greene Robb said.
The river as a venue
The DuPage River corridor is the ecological spine of the Riverwalk, and the city has a multi-project initiative underway to restore riverbanks ahead of the Riverwalk's 50th anniversary and Naperville's bicentennial in 2031.
Naperville resident Chris DiMarco, watching from the bank Tuesday evening, called the a cappella set "pretty impressive." Resident Steve Raquel said it was "something really easy and enjoyable to do on a nice night here in Naperville."
Remaining dates
River Sounds continues every Tuesday through early August. Remaining concerts:
- Tuesday, July 21 — 6 to 9 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 28 — 6 to 9 p.m.
- Tuesday, August 4 — 6 to 9 p.m.
- Tuesday, August 11 — 6 to 9 p.m.
All shows are free. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. The venue is the Naperville Jaycees Smart Park, behind the Municipal Center near Water Street.
Greene Robb said she is already hoping to bring River Sounds back for a third year in 2027 and is considering extending the series beyond six weeks.
This week in Naperville
- Friday, July 17 – Sunday, July 19 | Park After Dark, Central Park, downtown Naperville. Produced by Arranmore Events and Freightwood Productions; funded by a $74,000 SECA grant. Details at downtownnaperville.com.
- Tuesday, July 21, 6–9 p.m. | River Sounds, Naperville Jaycees Smart Park (behind Municipal Center). Free. Secret performer on the floating stage at 8 p.m.
