The Elgin Symphony Orchestra will be among the first in the area to hold a live performance in 2021 when it launches its Fridays on the Farm summer concert series next month.
The three-concert series, which kicks off May 21, will take place at The Venue at Goebbert’s Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchard in Pingree Grove.
It will be a return engagement for the ESO, which held smaller concerts there last fall. Executive Director Erik Malmquist said it was a successful test run.
“It was an experiment with a new outdoor space and COVID mitigations, but it turned out to be a real win for us,” Malmquist said. “I think that in the long term, we’re making plans to come back even after COVID.”
Music director Andrew Grams said he was looking forward to the return trip after being “pleasantly surprised” by the fall concerts.
“In the acoustical music world, you don’t expect much from outdoor venues,” said Grams, who is in his last season conducting the ESO. “Goebbert’s was fantastic.”
There will be two performances per day during the series, with concerts at 2 and 7 p.m. Concerts are also scheduled for July 2 and Aug. 6.
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