Bands on the Bricks stirs county debate

County commissioners approved a request to use a portion of the courthouse lawn for the popular Bands on the Bricks summer concert series Monday, with the exception of the Friday night that falls during the Hamilton County Fair.
This year’s schedule includes Friday afternoons from 5-9:30 p.m. July 8 to Aug. 12. The particular date of conflict is July 29, the Friday also sharing community time with the Hamilton County Fair. 
As the discussion kicked off concerns from a handful of commissioners were brought to light concerning the possibility of the July 29 Bands on the Bricks performance competing with Friday night’s Hamilton County Fair event -- which in year’s past has also been a concert. 
Bands on the Bricks organizer Sara Sutherland, president of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, explained her side of the discussion, with points expressing that the crowds didn’t consist of the same people. Those who attended Friday’s Bands on the Bricks event probably wouldn’t be attending the fair’s activities anyway, she said.
Fair board member Jeremy Brandt, who was in the audience at the meeting as the county’s highway superintendent, reported that the fair board had decided to move the trailer races to Friday evening this year so as to not compete with the concert venue. 

To read more, please see this week's print or e-edition.