With movies, music and parties in the parks, this summer was spent where it should be: outdoors.

The Village of Bensenville is continuing that outside fun by expanding their annual summer concert series, Music in the Park, through the end of September.

“The public asked for more, we wanted to give them more, and when we realized we could, we added five more dates,” said Linda Dickson, Bensenville director of communications and marketing.

Music in the Park is a free event held every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Bensenville Towne Center, corner of Green and Center streets.

The concert season opened June 11 with American English, a Beatles tribute band, and was supposed to end Aug. 20 with The Buckinghams, but the Village board quickly extended Music in the Park by adding The New Invaders on Aug. 27 and more bands through Sept. 24.

“When I’m walking out of work at 5 p.m., people already have chairs out,” Dickson said. “There are people all the way to the railroad tracks. It’s great. Music in the Park has become an opportunity for families and friends to get together on Wednesday nights in Bensenville. People are bringing picnics, celebrating birthdays, connecting with neighbors, discovering our downtown businesses. This has been our most successful year yet.”

The next concert is Sept. 3, with Covergurl. The lead singer, Jessica Robinson, was one of 15 finalists to compete on CBS’s music reality show, “RockStar: INXS.”

Another music reality star, Keith Semple — who won “Pop Stars,” the UK version of FOX’s “American Idol” — will bring his band, 7th Heaven, on Sept. 17.

Other upcoming dates include: Sept. 10 featuring R&B band The Chicago Catz; and Sept. 24 with The Cryan’ Shames, who had the No. 1 hit single, “It Could Be We’re In Love.” Along with music, families can take horse-drawn carriage rides, check-out the antique fire truck or visit with caricature artists and clowns. The usual classic car display won’t be out due to the varying weather that fall brings.

Pop and water will be sold by local churches, schools and other organizations like the Bensenville Rotary and Bensenville Teen Center. Two Chefs of Bensenville will also be out selling food.

This year not only did the concert series expand their calendar, but added a few opening bands and hosted mini-events like an ice cream social and a wine and cheese night. Plus, downtown businesses were encouraged to open up shop.

“Music in the Park has become a showcase for our downtown area,” Dickson said. “We have a lot of great businesses in Bensenville that we want residents to know about. This has been a great way to get people out in public, enjoying a free event while getting to know the businesses, community groups and neighbors around them.”

There were also a few special editions of this year’s Music in the Park with concerts being held at Redmond Recreational Complex for the July 4th celebration and the Ray Basso International Bike Race.

For more information on upcoming Music in the Park concerts, call the Village Hall, (630) 766-8888, or visit www.Bensenville.il.us.

Border Bounding is a weekly column appearing on Thursdays. Ideas for the column can be e-mailed to hipychk73@yahoo.com.