Joliet neighborhood enjoys its first Porch and Park Music Fest

Tim Placher of Joliet has built a reputation for organizing collaborative music events that showcase local talent.

Placher doesn’t get paid. He just likes creating “cool, community things” that showcase local talent and artists, he said in an email.

Placher’s newest community music event–Porch and Park Music Fest–was held Saturday at Preservation Park in Joliet, at the former University of St. Francis Motherhouse (which now houses USF offices) and the porches of three homes in Joliet’s Cathedral of St. Raymond neighborhood.

From 2 to 5 p.m., musicians played on the porches: Crooked Tails Duo, i.am.james, Cheryl Rodey, Tom Maslowski, Wonky Tonk, Alex Hoffer, Anne Hatfield and Max Dunne, Ellis Wright, and Laney Jones.

Attendees strolled from yard to yard to hear the performances. They gathered in small groups on the sidewalk, some standing, some sitting on lawn chairs they brought. Some brought their children. A few had well-behaved dogs on leashes.

Anne Magosky of Lockport paused on the sidewalk with her husband Cean Magosky to praised it all – from the mild, sunny weather to the musical artists. Cean agreed with her.

“It’s made for a very nice afternoon,” he said.

Brian Zettergren of Joliet and Marissa and Paul Chovanec of Joliet sat across the street from a porch on Western Avenue, with their coolers. enjoying “just a perfect day,” Paul said. Marissa said she saw neighbors she missed during the pandemic.

“It’s nice to see people out and about,” Marissa said.

Bettie Komar of Joliet readily agreed when Placher asked her to host musicians on her porch.

“We like being part of the neighborhood and we like promoting the neighborhood and activities here,” she said, adding that she really likes music. “My husband was a musician for years.”

Christine Dunham of Channahon is glad Komar did.

“It’s so nice of these people to donate their porches and their beautiful homes for this wonderful event,” Dunham said.

Deb Yirku of Plainfield and her friends brought lawn chairs and moved from porch to porch, enjoying the weather, the folk music and good company, she said.

Vickie Haire of Joliet said the “mellow, peaceful” music was perfect, whereas rock music might not have worked as well, Haire said.

“Whoever organized this is a genius,” Haire said.

At 5:30 p.m., musicians performed at Preservation Park and local artists showcased their talent. Local rock band Arbor Creek successfully closed out the night with its original music, Placher said.

Placher, who recently retired as choir director and music teacher at Drauden Point Middle School in Plainfield, was thrilled on Sunday morning that his vision was a successful reality.

“As it was unfolding, I was pleased to see it working in real life,” he said.

Placher started hosting musical events in 2017 at Chicago Street Pub in Joliet. When he outgrew that venue, he created the “Tim Placher All-Stars,” an event held at the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet.

His “Tim Placher’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Songbook, Plus!” in early 2020, featured 30 musicians with 17 different singers, a brass section, violinists, a 70-student choir from Drauden Point Middle School in Joliet. Placher’s “A Shamrockin’ Good Time” in March included 30 musicians and singers and Irish dancers. Placher held both events at the Rialto.

In 2021, Project Acclaim awarded Placher with its Rev. James E. Allen Award for Service to the Community.

Like his former events, Placher’s didn’t randomly choose his location for the “Porch and Park Music Fest.”

In an email, Placher said he grew up right on Glenwood area near Farragut Elementary School-where Placher attended kindergarten. He has great memories of the Joliet Park District running a day camp program in the area now known as Preservation Park and the Joliet Prep Softball League playing ball there on summer nights.

“It was a huge neighborhood gathering spot,” Placher said in the email. “We’re still a little chagrined at that gazebo they put smack in the middle of our baseball field. “But now, that gazebo has turned into another gathering spot for the summer concerts.”

Placher said his mother and grandmother attended the former St. Francis Academy when it was housed in the Tower Hall building at the University of St. Francis. And Placher his mother and sister all are alumni of the University of St. Francis.

“Every kid in the neighborhood rode bikes through the St. Francis campus, right past that back porch area at the Motherhouse we’re using,” Placher said in the email. “And every kid–St. Ray’s and Farragut–patronized the Roth School Store at Glenwood and Wilcox, also one of our porch sites. So it’s fun for me to be able to create a new event right in middle of our old home base.”

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Laney Jones performs on a porch along Western Avenue. The Upper Bluff Historic District hosted Porch & Park Music Fest featuring a variety of musical artist at five different locations. Saturday, July 30, 2022 in Joliet. (Gary Middendorf/Gary Middendorf)