For the City of Elkhart, the second Celebration Under the Stars was more than wildly successful. It was the culmination of years of economic development and a strategic plan that was started in 2018.
More than 26,000 people showed up for the Aug. 29 event that featured Grammy Award-winning Boyz II Men and The Jacksons. Visitors from around the country brought their dollars to Central Green Park downtown to see the bands play and enjoy the food.
“This remarkable response demonstrates that our community has the capacity — and the appetite — to grow our established events, nurture new ideas, and create even more experiences that draw visitors, energize our communities, and help Elkhart County shine,” said Jon Hunsberger, executive director of Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau, in a press release.
Levon Johnson, president and CEO of the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce, who was on hand to see the gathering, reminded readers of his newsletter that the evening was made possible, in part, by those early conversations.
“Standing among thousands of people Saturday night, it was hard not to think about the importance of those conversations and the decisions that followed,” Johnson wrote. “Green space isn't simply space where we haven't built something. Done well, it is community infrastructure.”
He also pointed out that events like this bolster the local business community.
“When people gather, there is an economic impact as well,” Johnson said. “They eat in our restaurants, visit our businesses, stay in our hotels, and discover, or rediscover, downtown Elkhart.”
Celebration Under the Stars was a free event present by the Elkhart County CVB and the Friends of the Lerner.
