The 12th annual Heritage Folk Music Festival in Downers Grove features three days of free outdoor concerts by many well-known folk performers. The festival is presented by the Two Way Street Coffee House in conjunction with Downers Grove’s popular Heritage Festival Friday through Sunday.
Friday night’s show features Canadian trio Tamarack and New York bluegrass band Cornerstone. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in front of the Two Way Street Coffee House, Curtiss Street west of Main Street.
The lineup for Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., includes Mark Jackson and Susan Urban, Bob Janis and Christine Gaylord, the Jones Family, Peg Lehman, James McCandless and Julianne Macarus, Chris McIntosh and Alvin McGovern, George Mattson, Pete Norman, Sammy From Miami, Larry Swenson, Thursday’s Child, and Wild Rice. This concert takes place at Fishel Park (behind the coffeehouse), Grove Street west of Main Street.
At 6:30 p.m. Sunday, back in front of the coffeehouse, the festival closes with an old-fashioned barn dance featuring the Salt Creek Barn Dance Company. Music will be provided by the Salt Creek Ramblers with Marianne Mohrhusen calling the dances. No experience is necessary.
Again, everything is free as is admission to the Heritage Festival, which features crafts, amusement rides, food, beer garden, car show, children’s activities, street dances and more. For more information about the Folk Music Festival, call 708-969-9720.
– The feline fraternity of Grizabella the Glamour Cat, Rum Tug Tugger, Old Deuteronomy and others will pounce into the Paramount Arts Centre for a three-day run beginning Friday present Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” for five performances.
This run was originally scheduled for July 14 through 16, but due to changes in the tour route was moved to this weekend. Patrons holding July 14 through 16 tickets may use them for the corresponding performance this weekend.
Showtimes are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets range from $40.50 to $44.50. The Paramount Arts Centre is at 23 E. Galena Blvd., in downtown Aurora. Call the box office at 708-896-6666 or Ticketmaster at 312-902-1500.
– The 37th summer season of the Wheaton Symphony Orchestra and Chorus opens Saturday with “An Evening of Love and Romance” at 8 p.m. in Edman Memorial Chapel, Washington and Franklin Streets, Wheaton.
Under the direction of Ralph Lane, the 90-member orchestra and 120-member chorus will present a program of music by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Rodgers and Hart, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Soloists will be soprano Ann McMann, mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Murphy, tenor Norman Engstrom and baritone Robert Smith.
Tickets are $13 and $15. Call 708-790-1430.
– Hinsdale is once again offering free outdoor concerts at three locations.
The schedule features Dave Rudolf and Friends Children’s Concert, 7 p.m. Wednesday at Katherine Legge Memorial Park, 5903 S. County Line Rd.; West Suburban Concert Band, 4 p.m. July 2 at Burlington Park, Chicago Avenue and Washington Street; and the Illinois Benedictine Faculty Jazztet, 7 p.m. July 6 at the Community House, 8th and Madison Streets.
Also: Easy Louise country music band, 7 p.m. July 20 at Legge Park; Rich Daniels Jazz Quartet, 7 p.m. August 3 at Community House; and West Suburban Concert Band, 7 p.m. August 10 at Legge Park.
The concerts will be presented rain or shine. Admission is free and patrons should bring lawn chairs or blankets. For more information, call 708-323-7500 or 708-789-7090.
– “Jazz at Sunset,” featuring the Bobby Lewis Jazz Quintet, Torque-tet jazz quartet, and Tom Tallman and his College of DuPage Student All-Stars, will offer an evening of outdoor jazz at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the College of DuPage Arts Center Courtyard.
Admission is $5, free for children under 12. Patrons should bring blankets, lawn chairs and picnic baskets. The Arts Center is on 22nd Street between Lambert Road and Park Boulevard. Call 708-858-3110.
– The Midwest Ballet Theatre will present an original, full-length ballet version of “Cinderella” at 1:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday at the Tivoli Theater, 5021 Highland Ave., Downers Grove.
This production features a score by Shostakovich, Elgar and Messager and is for all ages. Admission is free. For more information, call 708-971-9751.
– Geneva’s annual “Swedish Days” festival will feature these performers on the Central Stage: International Folk Dancers, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; jugglers Cheney & Mills, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; illusionist Chezaday, 8:30 p.m. Wednesday; guitarist-vocalist Steve Sharp, 9:30 p.m. Wednesday; Dance Encounter, 7 p.m. Thursday; instrumentalists Just Friends, 8 p.m. Thursday; Ronnie Rice, 7:30 p.m. Friday; and the Cryan’ Shames, 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Central Stage will be in front of the Courthouse, on Third Street two blocks south of Main Street (Roosevelt Road). Admission is free. Call 708-232-6060.
