The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors discussed a new approach to resolving the ongoing noise dispute between the Symmetry Music & Arts Festival and neighboring residents during their meeting Monday, January 5th, focusing on facilitating a private agreement rather than imposing county-wide regulations.
Background
The rapidly growing Symmetry Music & Arts Festival, held in the county’s southwest corner, has drawn complaints from nearby resident Tim Nelson and others about late-night noise disrupting his family. During the board’s December 22nd meeting, Nelson and festival organizers Donald Revolinski and Ti Liptak could not agree on appropriate cutoff times for performances, with Nelson advocating for midnight and organizers proposing 1:30 a.m. or 2 a.m.
Unintended Consequences
At Monday’s meeting, supervisors considered appointing a board member to a Symmetry Music Festival committee but ultimately decided against direct involvement, citing concerns about unintended consequences of formal regulations.
Supervisor Lee Dimmitt explained his recent conversations with the parties involved and his concerns about a county-wide approach.
“I had a long conversation with Mr. Nelson a week or so ago after we met, and if you remember, I asked Mr. Revolinski and Mr. Nelson to get together and try to formulate some agreement. I believe that there will be a lot of unintended consequences with the permit process or an ordinance, and I was concerned about that,” Dimmitt stated.
Dimmitt described his initial thought process about board involvement.
“I explained my position to Mr. Nelson, and in the process I thought maybe if we had a member of the board involved in that ‘committee,’ if you will for lack of a better way of putting it, and maybe a conversation then with Ed, that those two entities can come up with an agreement between themselves, that we might be able to help facilitate without having to do an ordinance process or anything with the unintended consequences,” Dimmitt said.
He outlined specific concerns about how proposed regulations could affect other community events.
“One thing I explained to Mr. Nelson was that based on the way that the ordinance was currently written, doing my research on 60-80 decibels and whatnot, we would have to shut down the fair, we would have to shut down the blues festival, maybe even the Renaissance Faire—the close proximity to neighbors. And those were the unintended consequences,” Dimmitt said.
A Different Approach
Supervisor Susie Drish questioned whether a board member needed to be directly involved in the negotiations.
“Does it have to be a board member?” Drish asked, later adding, “I think if the three of us can stay out of this part of it, because obviously we will be the ones deciding yay or nay at the end of it.”
Dimmitt agreed, suggesting a private agreement between the parties would be preferable.
“If it’s an agreement between the parties involved, we wouldn’t be,” Dimmitt said. “If they have a contract they would be willing to sign, you know, it becomes a civil issue.”
Assistant County Attorney Ed Kelly supported the approach, expressing willingness to facilitate discussions.
“If we can avoid any type of legislation,” Kelly said, adding, “I’d be very happy to help in any way that I can.”
Dimmitt emphasized why a private agreement would be better for everyone.
“If they can come to some type of agreement, I think it would be better for everybody involved because it’s a civil circumstance,” Dimmitt said.
He elaborated on his concerns about broad regulations keeping him awake at night.
“I tend to wake up at three o’clock in the morning and start thinking, ‘Wow, based on what we had written, there’s a lot of venues out there that would be cut off at the knees,'” Dimmitt noted.
Moving Forward
Rather than appointing a supervisor to the committee, the board decided to have Kelly reach out and facilitate a meeting between Nelson and festival organizers to work toward a private agreement.
The approach reflects the board’s preference for avoiding formal county-wide regulations that could impact other community events while still helping the parties reach a resolution. Assistant County Attorney Kelly will coordinate the meeting between the parties in hopes of reaching a mutually acceptable agreement without the need for ordinances or permits that would apply across all events in Jefferson County.
Festival Details
The Symmetry Music & Arts Festival has quickly established itself as North America’s leading showcase for “wave” music. The event has seen rapid expansion from approximately 65 musical acts in 2024 to 102 acts and 1,200 attendees in October 2025. The two-day festival is held on an acreage several miles outside of Libertyville.
According to organizers, the 2025 festival generated an estimated $1.2 million in local economic impact. The next festival is planned for October 2–3, 2026.
