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DECATUR — The lawyer working to wind up the affairs of the bankrupt Decatur Celebration tells creditors he is looking into complaints of “potential malfeasance” by former officers of the annual street festival.
Bankruptcy trustee Jeffrey D. Richardson, in a court filing dated Nov. 1, makes no mention of any specific people or any specific accusations of wrongdoing.
Writing what Richardson describes as his first annual report, he says: “There are some issues and I have received complaints of potential malfeasance by former officers which I will investigate to the best of my ability given the limited resources that are likely in this case.”
Richardson also notes that Celebration ceased operations in 2019 after a more than 30-year run. The event’s board of directors had blamed its demise on problems caused by the onset of COVID-19 which led to the cancellation of the 2020 event and its eventual total collapse.
In this 2014 file photo, Chloe Smith has fun making bubbles in the Kid’s Block of the Decatur Celebration.
Lisa Morrison
But Richardson, painstakingly picking his way through Celebration’s records and affairs, believes it was in financial trouble before the onset of the virus. “It appears the problem with the street festival predated COVID, although the last street festival was in 2019,” he adds, without elaborating.
An attempt Sunday to reach Claudette Davis, the last president of the Decatur Celebration board of directors, was not successful.
Creditors of Decatur Celebration told to get their claims filed by Dec. 1
Creditors of Decatur Celebration told to get their claims filed by Dec. 1
Davis, in a previous telephone hearing with Richardson, had said the end had come quickly for the organization with an abrupt cutoff in recordkeeping and paperwork after staff layoffs.
“And the reason for that was because our staff, our full-time staff, would have been operating and managing the day-to-day operations but, after the pandemic hit, we had to release them, we had to lay them off,” she had told the bankruptcy trustee.
The last time Celebration filed taxes was in 2019 for the 2018 fiscal year, Davis had said.
In this 2014 file photo, Xavier Dereak and his sister are among those riding in the Razzle Dazzle Goodtimes Parade during the Decatur Celebration to promote the Macon County Strides for Down Syndrome event.
The Celebration had initially listed its assets at just under $14,500 but said its debts totaled more than $81,000. Richardson said he is still digging through what might be sold to repay the organization’s dozens of creditors, but his report to creditors said there isn’t much of value left.
“The assets to be recovered are not significant and likely will not exceed the $10,000 to $20,000 range unless recoveries are made from the nontangible assets,” he said.
An already impressive event, Decatur Celebration became known nationally when VH-1 came to film Rick Springfield’s performance. It remains one of Celebration’s most well-attended shows, and clips were seen multiple times on an episode of “Behind the Music.”
One previously listed “nontangible” asset had been trying to get back a $6,700 deposit paid to an act booked for the 2020 show — which would have been its 35th anniversary event — before that was canceled.
One success the trustee has had, however, is an agreement with the city of Decatur which agreed to buy 23 power panels and associated electrical cables for $6,000. That deal was worked out with Chris Brodnicki, general manager of the Decatur Civic Center.
Other remaining assets of the Celebration include festival ticket booths, festival staging, kitchen appliances and a forklift truck previously donated by Caterpillar Inc.
Gallery: A look back at Decatur Celebration through the years??
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Lisa Morrison, Herald & Review Razzle Dazzle Goodtimes Parade
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The Town & Country Bank Family Carnival Preview marked the unofficial start of the Decatur Celebration.
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CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW Nelly performs Sunday on the Show Stage during the 2017 Decatur Celebration. To see more photos visit www.herald-review.com/gallery
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CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW Thursday during Town & Country Bank Family Carnival Preview before the start of the 32nd Annual Decatur Celebration.
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Lisa Morrison, Herald & Review Razzle Dazzle Goodtimes Parade
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Lisa Morrison, Herald & Review Razzle Dazzle Goodtimes Parade
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Bret Michaels performs Saturday at the Show Stage during on the 2017 Decatur Celebration. To see more photos visit www.herald-review.com/gallery
Davis, Gloria razzle dazzle
Davis waves at people on the sidewalk in the Mueller Co.’s Razzle Dazzle Goodtimes Parade during Decatur Celebration in 2008.
Decatur Celebration
Enjoy music with national headliners, a carnival, food, and more than three blocks of arts and crafts vendors.
When: August 6 4:00 p.m to 11:00 p.m., August 7 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., August 8 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and August 9 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Where: Downtown Decatur
More information: www.decaturcelebration.com
Contact information: 217-423-4222
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CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW Bret Michaels performs Saturday at the Show Stage during on the 2017 Decatur Celebration. To see more photos visit www.herald-review.com/gallery
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CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW The Sixth-Annual Heinkel’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Saturday during 2017 Decatur Celebration. To see more photos visit www.herald-review.com/gallery
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CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW The Sixth-Annual Heinkel’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Saturday during 2017 Decatur Celebration. To see more photos visit www.herald-review.com/gallery
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CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW Images from Sunday during the 2017 Decatur Celebration.
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CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW Images from Sunday during the 2017 Decatur Celebration.
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CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW Images from Sunday during the 2017 Decatur Celebration.
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While not a headline, Celebration favorite Here Come The Mummies entertained a large crowd.
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CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW Contestants line up for Miss Macon County Queen during Miss Illinois Festival Pageant during the 2017 Decatur Celebration. To see more photos visit www.herald-review.com/gallery
BREHENY: Many thanks to these Decatur Celebration sponsors
The 34th Decatur Celebration is almost here!
In April, the leadership of the Decatur Celebration appealed to businesses and individuals to invest money into the event as a sponsor. The sponsorship would provide the financial resources needed to hire quality entertainment for this year’s three-day event.
We are happy to report that businesses and individuals stepped up to the tune of over $200,000, exceeding our required goal of $150,000. The entertainment is booked and it’s now time to “Party On” in downtown Decatur on Aug. 2, 3 and 4.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to these sponsors!
Platinum Elite
- All Service and Contracting Corp.
- Decatur Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Decatur Park District
- HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital
- Neuhoff Media
- Refreshment Services Pepsi
- Skeff Distributing
- Stripmasters
- Village of Forsyth
- Platinum
- Caterpillar Inc.
- Cromwell Radio Group
- Decatur Ambulance Service
- Main Place Properties, LLC
Gold
- ADM
- Advanced Disposal
- Barbeck Communications
- Black & Company
- Brinkoetter & Associates
- Busey
- City Limitless of Decatur and Macon County
- Decatur Conference Center & Hotel
- Decatur Earthmover Credit Union
- Dynagraphics
- Flora Gems
- Hickory Point Bank & Trust
- Investment Planners Inc.
- The Kelly Group
- Land of Lincoln Credit Union
- McLeod Express Trucking
- Miles Chevrolet
- PNC Bank
- RK Dixon
- St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
- Sunbelt Rentals
- Tate & Lyle North America Inc.
- WAND-TV
Silver
- Air King
- Aramark Uniform Services
- Bob Ridings Decatur
- Bodine Electric
The 2018 Decatur Celebration Razzle Dazzle Goodtimes Parade is shown.
- CEFCU
- Cole Family Dentistry
- Dale’s Southlake Pharmacy
- Dan Caulkins for Illinois State Representative
- Decatur Magazine
- Decatur Memorial Hospital
- Decatur Public School District 61
- Dunn Company
- Exelon Corp.
- Falcon Multimedia
- First Mid Bank & Trust
- Glenda Williamson Realty
- Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce
- Horve Builders/Hospitalities
- IBEW Local 146
- J.L. Hubbard Insurance & Bonds
- Macon County Sheriff’s Department
- May, Cocagne & King P.C.
- Newell Auto Body
- Nims Family Grant
- Romono Company
- State Farm Insurance
- Tony Perino
- WCIA-TV
- WICS / Fox / CW
Bronze
- Brechnitz Group of Raymond James
- Bob Brady Auto Mall
- Decatur Building and Construction
- Heinkel’s Packing Co.
- Maroa Lumber Company
- Parke Warehouses (Parke and Son Inc)
- Richland Community College
- Staley Credit Union
- Sikich
- Swatrz Properties
- The Brass Horn
- WBGL
- Celebration Friend
- Charles Kuhle
- Coziahr Harley Davidson
- Grain Journal
- Jim and Melissa Livasy
- Kevin & Sue Breheny
- William Krueger
Everything is in place to have another great event. The only thing we need now is good weather and for you to buy your wristbands. This Thursday, board members will be selling them all day at Central Park in downtown Decatur for a discounted price of $10. They are good for the whole Celebration weekend. You can save $5 by just driving by the park and purchasing them in advance. You don’t even have to get out of your car. They will come to you.
You can also go to decaturcelabration.com for other business locations that are selling wristbands at a discount in advance of next weekend.
The entertainment is lined up, the food vendors are coming, the arts and crafts are made, the rides will be waiting for the kids and the drinks will be ice cold.
All we need now is to see you there! So as the headline said, please “Support the Decatur Celebration.”
Gallery: A look back at Decatur Celebration through the years??
Decatur Celebration 2020 was canceled. Let’s look back at previous events.
Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid