Dozens of fans from some 20 states gathered at Forest Park Nature Center in Peoria Heights on Aug. 11 to celebrate the life and career of the late musician and Peoria native Dan Fogelberg, as well as to participate in a dedication ceremony for four large boulders placed in the park that contain inscriptions of his lyrics.

Hugh Higgins, the local restaurateur and owner of Hearth, helped organize the three-day event as a co-founder of the Fogelberg Foundation of Peoria. The weekend included a series of concerts at Peoria Riverfront Museum and was capped by the Sunday event at Forest Park.

Peoria Heights Mayor Michael Phelan spoke at the event and emphasized how appropriate it was to honor Fogelberg in the Heights, given the Village’s status as a hub for the arts, music, nature and recreation, all of which were near and dear to Fogelberg’s heart.

Fogelberg, who died in 2007 at age 56, was a best-selling artist of the 1970s and ‘80s. Central Illinois served as a backdrop for some of his best-known songs, most notably “Same Old Lang Syne” and “Leader of the Band,” a tribute to his father, Lawrence, who served as a band director at Woodruff and Pekin high schools and at Bradley University.

The boulders are placed at the entrance to the main trails on both sides of the Forest Park Visitors Center.