There’s not another single event in Kankakee like the Merchant Street MusicFest that brings the community together. The three major sponsors of the event — the city of Kankakee, the Kankakee Public Library and the Kankakee Development Corporation — should stand up and take a bow for the continued success of the MSMF.

The MSMF has grown exponentially since it began in 2005 as a small “celebration of art and culture” and has attracted crowds of 5,000 to 10,000 people and more over the years. The festival has remained a relatively affordable event for greater Kankakee with plenty of music, food, art and camaraderie. The diverse crowd in attendance this past weekend is emblematic of our fair city.

It has booked national acts for the past 10 to 15 years among some quality local and regional musical acts. Just about every genre of music — rock, jazz, blues, hip-hop and alternative — was represented at this year’s fest

The sweltering heat on Friday might have held down the attendance a bit this year, but there were more than 5,200 paying customers and a total of 6,300 in attendance when promotional and sponsor passes were tallied for the two days of MSMF.

The success of the MSMF also wouldn’t be possible without the large number of sponsors from local businesses (68) and the vast number of volunteers, more than 200 strong, who have stepped forward each year for the event. All should be applauded for their selfless efforts. It’s great to see how a community gathers together to pull off this amazing event each year.

We urge the community leaders, present and future, to continue to support this middle-of-the-summer music event that showcases what Kankakee has to offer to the community. It is events like these that make the area such a great place to live and raise a family. We’re not perfect, and it’s easy to point out faults.

Yet, the MSMF continues to shine above all and shows that the community can put on a festive, family-friendly event that makes others take notice. This is not to take away what other communities in Kankakee County do as well. Each and every community in the county has an annual event, fair or festival that they’re proud of hosting every year.

The MSMF organizers are already preparing for next year’s festival, which they proudly announced is set for July 26-27, 2024. We can’t wait to see the lineup for next year’s MSMF.

Well done – again.