The politics in Glen Ellyn and the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce are a joke. This is the ONE thing in Glen Ellyn that is run well and that people enjoy. And they are killing it by not including the actually jazz experts that created this event. People actually planned around this event. Had house parties and invited friends from other towns over. Now, it will become as much of any embarrassment as the rest of our events and what they've done to destroy downtown Glen Ellyn.

The Taste of GE is, I think the word is, "gross" at best. The Arts event in August is ridiculous. The 4th is amatuer hour. Another black mark on a once great town.

Based on what I've read in the patch over the past year, this reeks of another COD attempted power play. I'm going to set up a pompous filter to auto-delete all news with COD included. I can't soar with eagles if I read about turkeys.

I'm really curious about who broke up with who. Frankly I'm suspecting that COD has more grandiose plans. It keeps looking for ways to disconnect from Glen Ellyn, so I suspect them first. Heck, that's the place that removed 43 of our parkway trees--and then replaced them with 53 new trees--all at taxpayer expense. Just becuase the new president didn't "like" the first ones. hmmmm

What is the deal with blaming the COD ? Sean-
Wouldn't formulate your opinion based on a patch article.

This is a Glen Ellyn issue with keeping and attracting a thriving downtown. It is a complex issue and needs big ideas-

I would love to be able to sit back and have the comforting thought floating around my big head that this was a COD issue. Unfortunately, I know for a fact that this was unilaterally and 100% started by the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce. Your "not-for-profit" Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce. The same GECOC whose mission is to help bring in business to Glen Ellyn, foster that business, and aid retailers. They unilaterally made the decisions that blew this apart. They unilaterally informed WDCB and The Mac that the changes were being made. They unilaterally told The Mac and WDCB that it was take it or leave it situation. By the time the Chamber realized what it was doing, it was too late as The MAC and WDCB had had enough and issued that press release on the JFGE site. This was, plain and simple, a slam duck event that any Chamber would drooooool over. If they lost $5-8K per year, so what? That's the cost of operating the COC. A not-for-profit entity that used to attempt to meet its mission. It's main and lone concern was that they were not in charge . . . and that the COC lost a few thousand dollars a year on the event. But isn't that what the Chamber is supposed to do? Use their funds to figure out ways to bring thousands of people to our streets? Isn't that cost of conducting their business? If they lost $20K on this event, it would be deemed money well spent by the average COC. Probably won't notice a difference this year, but this event will eventually fade away.

The talent will fade, the crowds will fade, the people who build the temporary gardens will fade. WDCB had the relationships with the artists that brought them to town, not anyone at the Chamber. The costs will skyrocket now that they have pulled out. I assume they will enjoy the increased ad revenue that the COC will be paying. That alone will most likely kill any profits they had hope to gain in this money grab. This event is destined to become as irrelevant as the Chamber's Taste of "Glen Ellyn" which brings food vendors in from Olathe, KS to sell souvlaki out of a trailer . . .while you stand in a municipal parking lot in the cold and rain . . . drinking beer out of plastic cups and listening to the same music line up that has been around for the 18 years I have lived here. And let's not forget the bang up job they do on the annual sidewalk sale. Two lame events . . . and now there will be a third. I have heard that one of the top guns at the COC bandied about bringing the high school jazz band to the big stage and a "local" vocalist. Mainly, I am guessing, because they have no contacts in the jazz world. Nothing wrong with those kinds of acts, but they are better suited for Lake Ellyn jazz shows on Wednesday nights.

Anyway, congrats to the Chamber for screwing up a genuinely unique and awesome event!

To 'The Troof' (first commenter)

Regarding your comment, "The Taste of GE is, I think the word is, "gross" at best. The Arts event in August is ridiculous. The 4th is amatuer hour. Another black mark on a once great town."

Be a part of the solution. Help the Glen Ellyn Lions turn the 'ridiculous' Arts event into something better, perhaps something you would be proud of. About 10 Lions work yearlong to put together an Arts Fest that has been getting great reviews from artists and attendees in the last 4 years.

All volunteer.

Instead of complaining, join us at our next meeting, Tuesday, May 8th in room #306 of the Glen Ellyn civic center.

Send me an email for more info to: info@glenellynlions.org.

You do NOT have to join the Lions to help us make the Arts Fest a success..

We can speak privately. More than happy to share my knowledge of the situation with you. I am 100% my facts are right and accurate. BTW, she never stated anything other than the relationship was torn asunder. Always wanted a reason to use that term.

Slam duck? Maybe you're right after all, Rob.

It all boils down to the groups not wanting to partner with each other. All of the partners put their own individual interests ahead of the audience’s/artists’/Glen Ellyn’s.

Really a shame…