Joliet’s Cathedral neighborhood to host 3rd Porch & Park Music Fest

Tim Placher of Joliet didn’t know what to expect at his first Porch & Park Music Fest.

“The first year, my thought was, ‘I sure hope this works.’ Now I know it’s a winning event,” Placher said in a news release announcing the event. “Every year, more and more people are expressing their excitement for it, telling more people about it, and putting together a group for the day. Artists love that it’s different from a typical gig and reach out all year hoping to play.”

Placher’s third annual Porch & Park Music Fest on Saturday, Aug. 17, is a free, family-friendly community music and arts festival with 11 locations, more than 50 musicians and artists (including scrap metal artist Steve Kost) and “a small army of volunteers,” Placher said.

Music on seven select porches in the Cathedral neighborhood runs from 1:30 to 5 p.m. The evening concert is from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Preservation Park in Joliet.

Genres include rock, blues, bluegrass, folk, duos, brass and jazz, Irish and Americana, as well as a porch featuring music artists from Nashville and a porch featuring three performers from Michigan, Placher said.

In addition. Joliet’s first poet laureate Uxmar Torres will read his winning poem, “A Light Over the River” from one of the porches, Placher said.

Beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday, attendees can grab a map and schedule at Preservation Park or any porch location. Attendees bring their own chairs and refreshments. All porches are within walking distance of each other.

Every year, more and more people are expressing their excitement for it, telling more people about it, and putting together a group for the day. "

—  Tim Placher, Joliet Porch & Park Music Fest organizer

“Not only do we feature dozens of our best local performers across a wide variety of music genres, we also showcase award-winning touring artists to new audiences in Joliet,” Placher said. “When those performers learn how welcoming our community is, most of them return to Joliet on a regular basis to perform for our appreciative fans.”

Afternoon activities also include local artists, kids activities, an old-fashioned lemonade stand and a “Bluegrass Golf Court” with a traditional string band that will travel the neighborhood and perform impromptu jams.

“In the evening, Preservation Park has a large playground right near the stage area for the kids,” Placher said in the release, “and our talented hooper/flow-artist friend Emily Bandera is bringing a bunch of Hula-Hoops and other fun items for the kids (and young-at-heart) to enjoy.

Moe Joe’s Cajun and Caribbean food truck will be at Preservation Park with a large menu of award-winning food choices available for purchase.

Placher, a retired music teacher from Drauden Point Middle School in Plainfield, said in the release that he “can’t think of a better way to spend my time” than organizing local music events for free.

“I and several of my closest friends grew up right in the heart of the Cathedral area,” Placher said in the release. “We ran these same streets as school kids, and now that we’re ‘old men’ in our 60s, it’s very special to be able to give back to the community that gave us such a great foundation in life by organizing this event. … We hope this event lasts long into the future as a showcase of what’s good and special about the entire Joliet community and Cathedral area.”

Music lineup

• The Smiley Tillmon Band (Chicago blues)

• Crooked Tails

• The Rebel Eves (Michigan band)

• Bonner Black, Makena Hartlin, Robby Hecht, Grace Pettis (Nashville musicians)

• Grace Theisen, Katie Pederson and Jilian Linklater (Michigan musicians)

• John Condron and The Old Gang Orchestra

• Chicago Blues Angels

• Led Zeppelin Valhalla Band

• 3rd City Brass Band

• Mr. Lucky and His Orchestra of Tomorrow

• The Giblin Twins with Steve Haberichter

• Anne Hatfield-Martin, Max Dunne and Friends (Irish music)

• Pete Jive

• Amanda and Michael Roach

• Chloe Briese and Ryan Zobel

• Becky and Tom Maslowski

• Uncle Sexy and The Nephews

Houses and porch route

• 601 Campbell St. (music)

• 617 Campbell St. (music)

• 613 Buell Ave. (music)

• 602 Western Ave. (music)

• 606 Western Ave. (art)

• 615 Western Ave. (art)

• 616 Western Ave. (music)

• 619 Western Ave. (lemonade)

• 621 Western Ave. (kids’ activities)

• 708 Western Ave. (music)

• 903 Western Ave. (music)

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Third annual Porch & Park Music Fest

WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 17, from 1:30 to 5 p.m. (porches) and 5:30 to 9 p.m. (park)

WHERE: Various Cathedral-area neighborhood porches (afternoon) and Preservation Park, 710 Taylor St. Joliet (evening)

PARKING: Street parking is available throughout the Cathedral area, plus in parking lots adjacent to Preservation Park and the University of St. Francis.

INFORMATION: Maps available at Preservation Park and any porch at 1 p.m. Saturday. For information, visit porchandparkmusicfest.com.