The Who played on tour of St. Charles sites
A few years ago, I mentioned that fans of the British rock invasion were treated to a rare and historic event when The Who played at the Jaguar rock club in downtown St. Charles in the late 1960s.
One might say it was an early step on a legendary band's path, one that would lead to selling 100 million records and creating the great rock opera "Tommy."
The Jaguar was a popular music gathering place at 12 N. Third St., where the Third Street Shops now sit in a white brick building. Longtime residents tell me the building was a roller rink at one time, as well as a furniture store.
The building just looks as if it would have been a perfect setting for a rock club.
Some will remember the Jaguar setup, with a shop selling posters and T-shirts on the right side when you walked in and the bands playing in an area on the left.
You'll get the information on that story and about many other St. Charles buildings and people from the past if you participate in the St. Charles History Crawl self-guided downtown tours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 17.
If you've never tried it, consider it. St. Charles Heritage Center tour guides are on site to retell the stories of the buildings and people.
Tickets for the event are just $10 for Heritage Center members and $15 for nonmembers. Children accompanied by adults tag along for free.
For info on tickets, call (630) 584-6967 or stop by the history museum at 215 E. Main St.
Seeking that herring: Many residents fondly recall a fried herring breakfast offered at Fabyan Forest Preserve by local Viking or Scandinavian Lodge members.
Reader Sandy Craig sent a note about a fried herring breakfast she remembers outside of the Batavia VFW in September. Craig was asking if these events still occur in the area.
I do know of one taking place during the 29th annual Scandinavian Day at Vasa Park in South Elgin.
This fried herring breakfast will be held at 9 a.m., Sept. 13, at Vasa Park on Route 31. If that tickles your taste buds, mark your calendar.
Off to Neverland: All of the drama and theater students do extraordinary things during this annual season of the high school spring plays and musicals.
But I don't recall too many taking "flight" over the years.
Students at West Aurora High School apparently will be doing just that when they stage "Peter Pan" in the school auditorium Thursday through Saturday.
There's no way around it. Students playing the parts of Pan, Wendy, John, Michael or Tinkerbell are likely going to have to soar around the stage - and above audience members - from what I am hearing.
Tell your story: Geneva residents who have a story to tell about a family member or friend who lost their lives protecting our country in the Armed Services have a chance to share that story on Memorial Day.
Dennis Enneking, a Vietnam veteran and member of Fox Valley-Geneva American Legion Post 75, will dedicate his Memorial Day speech at Geneva's Westside Cemetery to local veterans who have paid that ultimate sacrifice.
Those who would like someone they knew to be part of that speech can send a note to Enneking at d.enneking@sbcglobal.net no later than May 17.
The stories will be shared as time allows, but all stories will be saved and available for reading at the Geneva American Legion Post.
Some 'Rolling' notes: So what do chamber of commerce members who were exhibitors at the annual Rolling Down the River at Pheasant Run last week think about the economy?
The general feeling was that it's definitely been tough, but things are picking up.
Ron Onesti, owner of the Arcada Theater and Onesti Dinner Club, spoke about how things have shaped up for St. Charles' grand theater.
Onesti, one of the finest promoters this area has ever known, expressed surprise in accomplishing something he had always intended to do - drawing people from outside Kane County.
"I talk to people who come from Bolingbrook or Palatine, or other places far away, and I ask them why they come all the way out here to St. Charles," Onesti said. "And they say that no one else has anything quite like this."
At one exhibit, I learned about something I had never heard of - dry ice blasting.
This apparently is a no-water cleaning method used by Surface Maintenance Services, an Elgin company that specializes in cleaning industrial equipment and facilities.
My visit to this annual business-to-business event isn't complete without reporting about food items I sampled: buffalo burgers from Sage Bistro in St. Charles; smoked brisket of beef and tiger shrimp in "Cajun boil" from chef Don Waldie of Alley64 in St. Charles; and a cookie called "the duet," a combination of dark chocolate with white chocolate chunks and macadamia nuts from Panera Bread.
dheun@sbcglobal.net