Performing Arts Venue
The Campaign for the Steven D. Skinner Performing Arts Venue
Help People Connect & Enjoy the Arts
Gather with friends and neighbors to celebrate live music and the performing arts at Mineral Springs Park with the Steven D. Skinner Performing Arts Venue! This state-of-the-art, outdoor event space provides a common area for community events like the Marigold Festival in addition to plays, musicals, dance recitals, concerts, and more. Replacing the outdated and out-of-service Show Mobile, this amazing new space offers a wonderful area for our community to enjoy special outdoor occasions.
The Design
The new Performing Arts Venue features an elevated stage and performance area measuring 45 feet wide across the front and 40 feet deep and includes an overhead shelter. Located in Mineral Springs Park, the venue is nestled at the base of the hillside just north of the hillside parking lot, in the location where the old restrooms were.
Highlights of the Performing Arts Venue include:
- Curved, laminated timber beams and tongue and groove wood decking under the roof will give the shelter a striking aesthetic.
- Supported by powder-coated steel posts, the shelter roof is angled and tapered to direct sound outward toward the audience and improve acoustics.
- Extra deep stairs spanning the entire front width of the stage will serve as risers for performances.
- Space for outdoor instruction and learning is included as well as casual seating when performances are not scheduled.
- Accessible ramps flank both sides of the stage.
- A 15-foot by 35-foot masonry building serves as the stage backdrop and houses the electrical and audio/visual equipment. This building can also be used for storage.
- The building is painted on the sides and rear to match the new restroom building and overall color scheme for building structures within Mineral Springs Park.
- An accessible concrete sidewalk has been constructed between existing ADA parking spaces in the hillside parking lot and the performance shelter. Another concrete sidewalk connection connects the shelter and the new restrooms to the northwest.
- A paved concrete patio area is in front of the performance stage for accessible seating and programming space.
- The venue is close to adequate parking, ADA accessible, and built with quality materials.
We have dedicated a space on the rear of the venue to recognize major donors, so their contribution is honored and remembered for the life of the building.
Meet the Fundraising Committee
Our campaign committee members are passionate about raising funds to offer the community A New View & Venue, helping people Connect & Enjoy the Arts. The new venue provides visitors with a view of the Lagoon while enjoying concerts and events. We’re proud to be part of the exciting future the new Steven D. Skinner Performing Arts Venue offers all ages of Pekin residents. As a community-based group, our committee members include several people who have given their time to longtime nonprofit organizations like the Pekin Park Concert Band, Pekin Marigold Festival, Pekin Civic Chorus, and the like.
The Funding Plan FAQ’s
No, the Pekin Park District has not pledged any tax dollars towards construction of the structure, although they will take on ownership of the structure and will maintain it into the future.
The committee is seeking grants as well as corporate and private contributions to fund the project. In addition, we are looking for opportunities to partner with local contractors and other vendors that may offer in-kind donations to offset cash expenses.
Click one of the two yellow ‘Donate’ buttons on this page.
Yes, Pekin Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is providing the fund collection mechanism and will hold the dollars in a designated fund for this project.
Your support is vital… as we continue to help people connect, play…and now enjoy a new view & venue.
Thank you to our Performing Arts Venue donors!
- Advanced Medical Transport
- Aupperle Construction
- Croxville Giving Fund
- Donald Jackson
- Rich & Nancy Kriegsman
- Caterpillar, Inc
- CEFCU
- Pekin Park Foundation
- Dale & Lela Sandrock
- Timm & Christine Schwartz
- William Heaver & Janice Heaver, Tri-County Painting
- Matthew Skinner
- Kenneth Wehr
- Alto Ingredients
- Bicentennial Dragon Jam
- Busey Bank
- Cakora Family Trust
- Kiwanis Club of Pekin
- Pekin Park Concert Band (Keith Zimmerman Trust)
- Ray Dennison Chevrolet
- In memory of Stacy Burks
- Michael Burks
- In memory of Dean Skinner
- Ardith Skinner
- In memory of Norma Yock
- Julie Ann Friederich
- Brett & Carolyn Bode
- The Carle Foundation
- Friends In Harmony
- Gary & Becky Gillis
- Jay & Peggy Goldberg
- Susan McMillan
- Valerie M. Moehle
- Steve Skinner
- Louis Steger Trust
- In memory of Celius R & Norman L. Anderson
- Keith & Desiree Anderson
- Fred Altman
- Dorothy Barker
- Richard & Mary Barthel
- Dr. William Bond
- David & Peggy Cole
- Dennis & Sue Crowell
- Terry & Paula Davis
- Alan & Juliet Duncanson
- Enterprise
- Robert Erich
- William & Melanie Fleming
- Julie Ann Friederich
- Brian & Jill Garman
- Jean Glick
- David & Jill Harlow Giving Fund
- James & Floride Kidder
- Jack & Sue Ann Kortcamp
- Don & Sheila Lutz
- Scott & Joan Martin
- Hope & Mark McAllister
- Jed & Camille McCarty
- Mike & Amy McCoy
- Randall McDaniels
- Paul McGowan
- Lisa & James McKenzie
- Pekin Civic Chorus
- Jeff Pulfer, Peoria German American Society
- Red Roof LLC – Baylee Gambetti
- Kimberly Ritchhart
- F. Michael & Christine Schaefer
- Robert & Sandra Scheffler
- Barry & Catherine Slabaugh
- Shawn & Kim Taylor, Schwartz Electric
- Amy Trantham
- Lorelei & Timothy Weidner
- In memory of Celius R. & Norman L. Anderson
- Carol & Andy Groch, Jasmine Schultz
- In memory of Chuck & Jo Bussone
- Pete & Tomi Ault & Family
- In memory of Kenneth Garman
- Linda Garman
- In memory of Frank & Lily Gottman
- Christine & Larry Gottman
- In memory of Richard & Gusta Bolam and Leo & Mary Leitner
- Tim & Leslie (Bolam) Leitner
- In memory of Sandy & Marv
- Donald & Dolores Herrmann
- In memory of Doug & Joanne Miller
- Marjorie Miller
- In memory of Robert & Ellen Paullin
- Tom Paullin
- In memory of Dr. Lyndel C. Stripling
- Kathleen Rowell Stripling
- In memory of Jean Wolfe
- Julie Sahlsten
- American Assoc of University Women
- Kim Anderson
- Julie Antonini
- Roberta Aram
- Jacqueline Beever
- Bicentennial Pekin Pavers Project
- Bicentennial Trivia Night
- Keith Bonnett
- Nancy Brown
- Rick Butler
- Caroline Campbell
- Jennifer Cantrell
- Genaro Cantu
- Charity on Top
- Joyce M Cline
- Peggy Cole
- Charles & Judy Cunningham
- Sharon Danner
- Deborah Elliott
- Tom & Lucy Elliott
- Janet Euteneuer
- Denise Durrell & Kim Farlin
- Julie Ann Friedrich
- Terri Gambetti
- Kevin & Lynn Grebner
- Robert Haas
- Rodney Hagan
- John & Margarete Hall
- John Hamann
- Breanna Hamilton
- Harmonie Singers, Inc.
- Ann Heimer
- Kenneth & Joanne Hess
- Bethany Houlihan
- Jeff Karch
- Patricia Knight
- Judy Kowalski
- Ruth Kurtz
- Darylyn Leaver
- Sally Lessen
- Peggy Mayo
- John & Susan McCabe
- McDaniels Marketing
- David & Wanda McFee
- Amy Meron
- Arlene Meyer
- Jerry & Mary Anne Milam
- F. Joanne Miller
- Gayle Mirande
- Connie Moser
- Larae Muselman
- Brenda Nelson
- Phillip Newcomb
- Lindsay O’Rourke
- Rita O’Rourke
- Pekin Park Concert Band
- PEO Sisterhood Chapter OE
- Wesley & Danielle Pollman
- Darren Rockhold
- Root Beer Fundraiser
- Mary Ann Russell
- James Ruth
- Margaret Seelye
- Aprile & Jim Smith
- Dori Smith
- Sally Smith
- Sara Sombeck
- St. Paul United Fellowship
- Allen Thompson
- Diana Thorne
- Gina Tillman
- Ann Tunis
- Andrew Volz, Illini Plumbing
- Nancy Wamack
- Christie Ward
- Tiffany White
- In memory of Todd Campbell
- Stacy Campbell
- In memory of Wilmadean Habberfield
- William & Mary Ashbaker
- John & Ellen Curtin
- Loveda S. Eisele
- Lori Scroggins
- Alan & Annette Verpraet
- In memory of Gary Kinder Memorial
- Janet Kinder
- In memory of John M. Kriegsman
- Donald & Pamela Davis
- In memory of Robert Lauterbach, Sr.
- Robert, Jr. & Cheryl Lauterbach
- In memory of Lovella & Charles Milburn
- Valerie & Theodore Henry
- Anita Reed ’63 Memorial
- Mary Noonan
- In memory of Kelly Vick
- John & Theresa Cotter
- In memory of Jean Wolfe
- Dorothy Barker
- Donald & Rene Bly
- Mack & Rhonda Cakora
- Gloria Carney
- Miriam Dela Cruz
- David & Nancy Drockleman
- Arvella Guidotti
- Rich & Nancy Kriegsman
- Alan & Kim Hall
- Darlene Halstead
- Tammy Hicks
- Jerry & Debra Mahoney
- Larry & Donna Mayberry
- Carmen McCoy
- Rick & Sue Munge
- Robert & Maxine Oliverius
- Ann Tunis
- Pam Wolfe
- Dr. Nelson & Barbara Wright
- Zayenga Memorial
- Rick & Nancy Bogner
- Terri Garber & Steve Bresnahan
- Don & Debbie Hild
- Valerie M Moehle
- Vance & Pamela Rugaard
- Rick & Charmayne Sarff
- Linda & Robert Wheeler
- Bruce & Val Woll