The Geneva Chamber of Commerce is asking the city for $150,000 toward promotion and advertising of its four main festivals – Swedish Days, Geneva Arts Fair, Festival of the Vine and Christmas Walk.

That amount is less than the chamber received in 2023, when the city provided nearly $189,000 from its hotel/motel tax.

Though the chamber did not receive additional city funding in 2024, it did use money unspent from the previous year, then received $50,000 from the city in 2025, officials said.

According to a letter sent Feb. 23 to city officials, signed by Chamber Executive Board Chair Michael Olesen, the Chamber would provide $650,000 in festival expenses. The letter was obtained by Shaw Local from the city through a public records request.

Chamber Treasurer Susan Huang spoke at a City Council meeting in January to say the chamber needed city support for its festivals. The city had also sent a letter to the Chamber seeking information about its festival spending.

According to Olesen’s letter, the cost of city services from police, fire and public works for its festivals was not yet fully clear, as was the Chamber’s total cost for planning and execution of the four signature events.

“The Chamber has provided us with a response, which City staff is currently reviewing,” city officials said of the in an email. The Chamber declined to comment beyond the letter’s contents.

There’s been no Council vote held on the matter this year yet.

Swedish Days, coming up in June, is expected to continue as planned.

“It goes without saying that any city funds would be fully accounted for. The Chamber welcomes a discussion on the best/most appropriate way to do so. For example, should the city provide the Chamber with a set dollar amount, proof of invoice and payment would be provided,” according to Olesen’s letter.

“Should the city prefer, the Chamber can enter into the various contracts and provide the invoices to the city. The city can then pay these expenses directly. Or if the city prefers, the city can enter into the contracts, hopefully negotiating a better deal, and pay the subsequent expense.”

Olesen’s letter also details the cost of bands scheduled to perform, which can run several thousand dollars each and up to $12,000 for a weekend evening performance.

“They can command such fees because of the crowds they draw. Of course, larger crowds result in increased revenue for our service organizations,” according to Olesen’s letter.

In 2025, the Chamber spent $21,894 for tents, $9,500 for the stage sound system, $8,300 for main stage bands, $6,813 for portable toilets and $11,000 for the Swedish Days Parade acts, such as the Jesse White Tumblers, according to Olesen’s letter.

Festival of the Vine tents cost $20,427, its stage $20,000 and entertainment on the main stage, $7,600.

The Arts Fair tents, at $1,468, were the most expensive item for the chamber. For Christmas Walk, the most expensive items were the Hope Sign at the courthouse, at $8,000, and courthouse lighting was $7,740.

Olesen’s letter also detailed how the Chamber spent last year’s $50,000 from the city as a presenting sponsor:

• For Swedish Days, it spent $445.30 on a city stage banner and $8,500 to rent a sound system for the stage.

• For the Arts Fair, the Chamber paid Lauren Lynn Art LLC $2,500 for the paint-by-number public event. It advertised in West Suburban Living of Elmhurst for $1,295 and paid $799 to Fox Valley eValues and Deals, which Huang owns, for email marketing. Both businesses are Chamber members.

• For Festival of the Vine, the biggest expense was renting a tent for $17,675.26 from Blue Peak Tents in Batavia and $5,830 for portable bathrooms rented from Floods Royal Flush of North Aurora. Both companies are Chamber members.

• For Christmas Walk, the Chamber spent $2,535.41 for printing tickets from Responsive Mailroom of Elgin, also a Chamber member.

In 2024 – a year when the chamber received no additional funding from the city for festivals – the city entered into an agreement with the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, appropriating more than $500,000 over three years to promote the city.

Swedish Days is happening June 24-28, the Arts Fair is July 25-26, Festival of the Vine takes place Sept. 11-13 and the Christmas Walk is planned for Dec. 4, according to the chamber’s website, genevachamber.com/community-events.