History of rock comes alive at Naper Settlement

If you want to learn the history of Naperville, visit the 19th-century buildings throughout Naper Settlement.

If you want to learn the history of rock, well, just take a seat on the lawn.

The living-history museum launches its annual Naper Nights Concert Series on Friday, June 19, and the lineup includes tribute bands that reads like a lesson in Rock 'n' Roll 101.

Concerts are on one Friday and Saturday a month during the summer, starting this weekend and continuing July 24 and 25 and Aug. 21 and 22, with two bands playing nearly every show.

The first show opens with the Neverly Brothers, singing American and British rock from the '50s and '60s, followed by regional favorite, American English, which will be celebrating 50 years of Beatlemania.

"Because it's an outdoor summer event located in the heart of Naperville, this series naturally attracts families," said Adison Glick, Naper Settlement special events coordinator. "But because you have groups like American English - based on the biggest band in the history of music - you get an older crowd, too, who are serious about the music."

Other bands performing throughout the series pay tribute to rock titans such as U2, Elton John and Pink Floyd, while others bring the more modern sounds of groups like the Dave Matthews Band and Mumford and Sons.

This is the ninth year for the annual event, which attracted roughly 7,000 people throughout last year's series. Shows will feature the popular Facebook-based Rock Trivia Challenge, where concertgoers can win prizes. The shows also will feature three different groups putting on children's activities: Pinot's Palette will offer canvas painting for little ones; Lowes will help them create wooden monster trucks; and Engineering for Kids will teach them how to create mini greenhouses, balloon cars and straw rockets.

Food and beverages from area restaurants like Two Brothers Brewing Co., Wente Vineyards, Sullivan's Steakhouse, Joey's Red Hots, Nothing Bundt Cakes and Culver's will be for sale. Outside food and beverage are prohibited.

Proceeds from the shows benefit a different charity each month. This month, Naper Nights' nonprofit partner is Naperville-based Loaves and Fishes Community Services. Guests are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items for the food pantry, which serves about 600 DuPage County families a week, and half of those are children.

The organization also helps residents in need to navigate government programs like the Affordable Care Act, and connects them with services like health assessments, dental screenings, computer classes, English classes and job searches.

In July, Naper Nights will partner with thrift superstore Savers, asking visitors to bring gently used clothing, accessories and household goods. Through its nationwide store sites, Savers keeps 650 million pounds of used goods from landfills each year and helps more than 120 nonprofit organizations by paying them for donated goods, which supports their community programs.

The final charity is Blessings in a Backpack, which provides schoolchildren who are on free or reduced meal programs with a backpack full of food for 38 weekends during the school year. Naper Nights organizers ask visitors to donate ready-to-eat items like granola bars, juice boxes or macaroni and cheese cups, or to make a monetary donation.