The odds that Ives Concert Park will survive are grim, but Danbury's City Council gives it one more chance to survive.

The bad news is the Charles Ives Authority for the Performing Arts asked the city to shut it down because of financial challenges even before the pandemic shut the outdoor venue's 2020 season.

CT Insider has reported that a City Council ad hoc committee voted to extend the Ives authority for one more year, hoping the city can brainstorm a solution to get the park up and running successfully.

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Already in severe financial trouble, it seemed certain the parks' future was doomed when the pandemic closed the Ives's 2020 season. Remember when the Ives used to bring in top-tier talents like Peter Frampton, Steely Dan, and Willie Nelson, among others?

Ives Concert Park
Ives Concert Park
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Thousands of people would buy tickets for the annual reggae festival and the Ecuadorian and the Forever Grateful festivals. In 2019, struggling to keep the park alive, the Ives hosted a water lantern festival where attendees gathered to decorate and launch paper lanterns into the pond. WHAT?!

Unfortunately, after last years' events were canceled, the City wiped out the authority's budget for the rest of the fiscal year. As it stands now, Danbury Mayor Joe Cavo sees little hope any festivals will take place in 2021.  

Large amounts of cash will be needed to jump-start the Ives Concert Park which includes the cost of a mega sound system and staff. City Council president, Vinny DiGilio is 100% behind the concert saying;

I would never be in favor of selling that property under any circumstances.

The question is, will the City of Danbury be able to figure out how to financially save the Ives Concert Park in the next 12 months?

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