Get a taste of St. Charles on the plaza this Sunday
At the Downtown St. Charles Partnership's "A Taste on the Plaza" event, the 18 hometown restaurants selling favorite menu items will be joined by local jazz musicians performing throughout the afternoon. The event will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16 on the new First Street Place Plaza, just north of the new parking deck in downtown St. Charles, behind the 100 block of West Main Street, between First and Second streets.
The Andy Schlinder Trio is scheduled to perform from 1 to 3:45 p.m. followed by The Crocodile Jazz Band from 4 to 6 p.m.
The public is encouraged to attend the free event, sponsored by OnPath Financial, LLC, along with the city of St. Charles, 1st Street Development, LLC, Affordable Party Tent Rentals, and WBK Associates. City dignitaries will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2:30 p.m., and area businesses, including Steel Beam Theatre and Milestone Row Condominiums, will provide free tours. Children's activities, including letter writing to the troops with Fox Valley Troop Support, will also be part of the festivities.
"We're happy to provide music that will reflect the celebratory atmosphere of the ribbon cutting and the 'Taste of St. Charles'," said David Richards, executive director of the Downtown Partnership. "The committee thought New Orleans-style jazz would be fun, upbeat, hand-clapping music for an outdoor community social. And we're blessed to have so much talent in this town, with our local musicians. They know and understand the community spirit of St. Charles. It's our pleasure to have both the Andy Schlinder Trio and Jim Carney and the Crocodile Jazz Band join us downtown on the plaza."
Saxophonist Andy Schlinder is a professional jazz musician who graduated from St. Charles East High School in 2004, and later earned a bachelor's degree in jazz performance from Roosevelt University in Chicago. There, he met classmate Nils Higdon, the drummer in the Andy Schlinder trio. Sam Wyatt, also an East 2004 graduate, is the group's vocalist and holds a degree in jazz performance from Northern Illinois University.
"It's a pleasure to play for good people who appreciate good music," said Schlinder. "I was fortunate to be a part of the St. Charles East Jazz Workshop under the direction of Jim Kull, our band director, who led us to win a national competition, 'Essentially Ellington,' in New York City in 2003."
He also said the Andy Schlinder Trio plays interactive music, popular with all ages.
"The kids really get into it and the parents love it. We play many different genres and everybody has a good time with our music," said Schlinder, who began playing sax in fourth grade.
The Crocodile Jazz Band is led by St. Charles resident Jim Carney, a member of the Chicago Hot Six Jazz Band. The group is known for its traditional New Orleans style, playing marches, spirituals, blues and jazz tunes of Louis Armstrong, Jellyroll Morton, King Oliver, Duke Ellington and more.
Also at "A Taste on the Plaza," these restaurants are among those scheduled to sell favorite flavors throughout the afternoon: ROX City Grill, ZaZa's Trattoria, Oberweis Ice Cream & Dairy Store, McNally's Irish Pub, Arcedium Coffeehouse, The Jalapeno Grille, The St. Charles Farmer's Market, Breadsmith, Onesti Dinner Club, Colonial Café & Ice Cream, Smitty's on the Corner Deli, Sage Bistro, Alley 64, Miguel's on the Fox, Il Giordino Del Dolce Italian Bakery, Sichuan and Gramp's Frozen Custard. For information on "A Taste on the Plaza" or for volunteer opportunities, visit www.dtown.org, or call the partnership office at (630) 513-5386.