How the Pandemic Has Impacted Local Entertainment

The Effects of COVID on Local Events

The pandemic has severely affected local event promoters and entertainment venues throughout the globe and it’s no different in Peoria, Illinois.  With most large gatherings cancelled or taken online as live stream events for over a year, many have struggled to continue to pay their monthly bills.

For Peoria area sports teams, it’s been a challenging 12 months, but there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.  With their seasons either totally cancelled or converted to live streaming of games only, their revenue almost entirely dried up overnight.  2021 definitely looks brighter as the vaccination rate continues to grow, despite the growing level of infection recently appearing in the area.

The Peoria Chiefs

Although the Peoria Chiefs will have a season this year, the seating capacity will be only 25% of the stadium’s capacity.  They are also handling concessions differently with online ordering and delivery to customers’ seats. 

The Peoria Rivermen

The Peoria Rivermen are looking forward to their 2021-2020 season, their goal is to break even.  With a new Danville, Illinois team in the Rivermen’s league, travel expenses should be reduced in 2021.

By the end of this year, Peoria area event promoters hope that large gatherings will start taking place again, allowing them to get back to business as usual.  And event attendees will most likely be eager to get back to cheering their local teams.

 

 

Playing in Peoria

The old expression “Will it Play in Peoria?” originally referenced Burlesque acts performing in Peoria while on the circuit.  It meant that if the act could draw a crowd in Peoria, it would draw a crowd in other cities.  A hub of entertainment in that era along with the city’s countless distilleries made Peoria a popular stop for many acts.  The phrase was apparently made famous by Groucho Marx in his movies. 

As a whiskey town, Peoria was home to many riverboats over the years.  Today, the Spirit of Peoria offers tours along the Illinois river throughout their season.  Day cruises, multiple day cruises with overnight stays in Illinois river cities as well as themed cruises keep the paddleboat busy throughout the season.

Peoria was also called the “typical Midwestern town”. Proctor and Gamble ran their test marketing in the Peoria area to see if products would be successful before a full-fledged launch.  The demographics of the market were very similar to the average consumer and like Vaudevillian acts, if it sold in Peoria, it was thought to sell well in any market.

While the term is now somewhat dated, it remains as the way most people in the US have heard of the city if not from the area.  And although demographics of the area have changed over the years, Peoria is still a typical Midwestern town.  Find area events and entertainment information on the ExplorePeoria.com calendar.