Press Release - Friday, June 20, 2025
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Chester Municipal Band returns to renovated Fort Kaskaskia band shelter on July 1
SPRINGFIELD - The Chester Municipal Band will perform its Independence Day concert at the newly renovated Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site band shelter along the Mississippi River in Randolph County at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 1.
The event will feature live entertainment, a food vendor, and more. Fort Kaskaskia is at 4372 Park Road in Ellis Grove.
The Chester Municipal Band performed at the first State of Illinois public function ever held at Fort Kaskaskia when Garrison Hill Cemetery was dedicated on July 4, 1892.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) staff recently replaced the roof on the band shelter and completed other repairs including electrical and woodwork upgrades to the structure.
The historic facility once hosted the Fort Kaskaskia Traditional Music Festival, a popular bluegrass festival that attracted visitors and performers from throughout the region for more than two decades. Fort Kaskaskia hopes to attract new events to their band shelter.
"IDNR is pleased to be making improvements at our remarkable state historic sites in Randolph County," said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie. "We look forward to welcoming music lovers to Fort Kaskaskia on July 1 and hope to host more public events at this beautiful site in the future."
To learn more about hosting an event at Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site, please call the park office at 618-859-3741.
Fort Kaskaskia was built in the 1700s by the French to defend the town of Kaskaskia. The site is adjacent to the Pierre Menard Home State Historic Site. Menard was Illinois' first lieutenant governor, serving from 1818 to 1822.
About IDNR
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is celebrating 100 years of conservation and service to the people of Illinois throughout 2025. The department was established July 1, 1925, as the Illinois Department of Conservation, bringing under one umbrella oversight of fish and game, forestry, public works, and lakes.
Today, IDNR's work encompasses management of about 400 sites across Illinois, including state parks and historic sites; wildlife, fisheries, forestry, and natural heritage; Lake Michigan water allocation and coastal management; conservation police; mines and minerals; oil and gas; issuance of licenses, permits, and numerous grants; the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta; and the Illinois State Museum. Visit https://dnr.illinois.gov for more information.
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