“Behind Ribfest” Documentary Film to Debut at the Naperville Independent Film Festival on September 18th

Over a year ago, I began production on a documentary film about Ribfest.  Many of us know the festival from the perspective of attendee, but few get the chance to go behind-the-scenes of everything that goes into making this volunteer-run festival a success in raising millions of dollars toward the elimination of child abuse and domestic violence.  This film follows along with the Naperville Exchange Club, the rib teams, the musical entertainment acts, the volunteers and the faces behind the festivals ultimate mission.  I’m pleased to report the film is finished and will debut on September 18th at the Naperville Independent Film Festival at 7 PM at the Ogden 6 Classic Cinemas.  As a little teaser, take a look at the promo below:

The Naperville Wine Festival: A Quick Guide to the Perfect Experience

I had to include the word “experience” in the headline above because there is no other way to describe the Naperville Wine Festival, which will take place this Friday and Saturday (September 17-18, 2010) at one of my favorite places… the Naper Settlement in Downtown Naperville.

First and foremost, train it… cab it… do whatever you need to do to get into Downtown Naperville and keep yourself from being in the position of even thinking about driving home.

Based on my own personal experience, my strongest recommendation is to go in the evening hours just as daylight drifts toward the crisp Autumn night.  There is a certain magic in the air when you combine an Autumn night, the Naper Settlement and your journey through an international array of wines.

You can taste away the night beneath the stars knowing that a portion of your admission proceeds goes to the Naperville Area Humane Society.  Should raindrops crash the party, never fear… just cover your glasstic wine glass and the festival will march right on.

In terms of preparing yourself, I recommend eating something light before diving into the Festival as wine tastings are typically a bust on a full stomach and an early and disorienting night on an empty stomach.

There will be a number of local Naperville restaurants with food offerings at the Festival.  To me, part of the true experience is to snack on a little something at the Festival to pace your tasting and then take a short walk into Downtown after you are finished for a late dinner at one of Naperville’s many fine local restaurants.

After you finish your late dinner, I recommend capping off the evening with some chocolate indulgence at Le Chocolat or one of the many night spots in Downtown Naperville.  Should you subscribe to the ancient belief of “wine before beer, never fear” I recommend hitting the Grumpy Bulldog and watch your head spin for an entirely different reason as you enjoy the process of selecting a beer from their expansive global beer menu.  If you need a little head start, click here.   There is also Quigley’s Irish Pub for the best pint of Guiness in all of the Western Suburbs.  Beyond that, there are many more bars, music and dancing throughout Downtown.

The bottom line is make your Naperville Wine Festival experience a full night out in Downtown Naperville.  Pace yourself and most importantly, please please please do not drink and drive.  Designate a sober driver whose evening entertainment will consist of laughing at you OR take advantage of Naperville’s many local cabs.  Hope to see you there!

I invite you to share your own survival and enjoyment tips via a comment below.  SM

Glennette Tilley Turner Brings the Illinois Underground Railroad to Life at 2010 African American Heritage Festival in Naperville

“Heritage” is a word that is not only at the fabric and meaning of our existence, but one which carries with it tales of tradition and tragedy which are meant to never be forgotten as future generations inherit this Earth, this country and our community.

The inaugural 2010 African American Heritage Festival, which took place at the NCC Wentz Concert Hall and Fine Arts Center last weekend, was certainly an occasion worthy of joyful celebration, insightful reflection and meaningful connections.  Based upon my own experience in attending the festivities on Saturday and meeting the amazing people behind this event, my resolve to bring the larger community into the experience of this Festival was solidified.

To those who could not attend, below is a small piece of what you missed… an audio and still photo composite of author Glennette Tilley Turner talking about her own life and the Freedom Seeker’s travels through the Naperville portion of the Illinois Underground Railroad.  The video also includes an audio interview with the Festival’s Originator, Osie B. Davenport, on the story behind the Festival.

Turner’s warm soul and lifelong inquisitive curiosity has resulted in a number of books for all ages, including:  “An Apple for Harriet Tubman” (childrens book), “The Underground Railroad in Illinois”, “Running for Our Lives”, “Journeys in Courage – On the Underground Railroad”.

In addition, she is about to release a new book, entitled “Fort Mose” about the small island off the coast of St. Augustine, FL which was founded nearly a century before the Emancipation Proclamation and became the earliest settlement of emancipated slaves in our country.

I encourage you to buy these books, share these important stories with your family and make a plan to retrace the steps of the Underground Railroad in Naperville and our surrounding areas.  You can find out more about Glennette Tilley Turner and order her books at:  www.ugrr-illinois.com.

If you missed the African American Heritage Festival this year, I highly recommend that you make plans to attend next year as this is both an important event and opportunity for our community to come together, connect with each other and to explore and celebrate the unique richness of the lives, culture and history that surrounds us.

In the end, the contribution of grant money to support these enriching events is lost without the contribution of time, attention and participation by our community.  Even more, there is an amazing personal and societal reward to be gained when we travel outside of ourselves to build a deeper connection with what is the truest and most meaningful wealth within our community… our relationships with each other.   SM

Don’t Miss Naperville’s African American Heritage Festival On April 16-17

The true richness of any society can only be measured by its depth of cultural appreciation, understanding and celebration of diverse traditions.  The more we engage and explore our unique differences, the more we learn about ourselves and the common bond we share together as one human race.

While we live in the “backyard” of what I consider to be the most celebrated culturally diverse city in the country, our very own community is blessed with a level of diversity that sometimes gets overlooked.

This weekend, thanks to the African American Leadership Roundtable and Naperville’s SECA grant program, our community will have the opportunity to join together in an exciting celebration of African American Heritage at the 2010 African American Heritage Festival.  The Festival will take place on April 16-17 at the Wentz Concert Hall and Fine Arts Center at North Central College.

Below you will find the schedule of events:

Friday, April 16

Liturgical Dance Fitness Session (4 – 6:00p.m.)
Festival Kick-Off & Welcome Reception (6:00 p.m.)
William H. Bigham Galleries Art Showcase (6 – 9:00 p.m.)
Glennette Tilley Turner Book signing (6:00 p.m.)
The Dreamers Wax Museum of African American History
(Encore Exhibit) (6:30 – 8:00 p.m.)
Called 2 Dance Performance* (8:00 p.m.)

Saturday, April 17

William H. Bigham Galleries Art Showcase (10 a.m. – 9 p.m.)
Liturgical Dance Workshops – $20 Fee (10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.)
New Branch Theatre Company ( 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon)
ACT-SO Exhibits (12 noon – 5:00 p.m.)
ACT-SO Showcase Performances (1:30 – 3:30 p.m.)
Community Mass Choir Workshop – $20 Fee (4:00 p.m.)
African American History Workshop with Glennette Tilley Turner ( 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.)
Gospel Fest Musical Concert* featuring The Community Mass Choir & Grammy Winner Darius Brooks (7:00 p.m.)

To learn more, visit the event website at:  www.napervilleaahf2010.com

SM

Loss of Naper Days Festival a Deep Loss for Our Naperville Community

As many of you may know, the Naper Days Festival has welcomed the summer festival season to Naperville for the past six years.  Having only missed one year at Naper Days, I’ve always looked forward to the event not only for the Taste of Naperville and live music, but as a deliberate chance to spend some time on the grounds experiencing the Naper Settlement, our community’s historical crown jewel.

Despite the challenges of staging this large festival on Father’s Day Weekend, I always liked to stand back at Naper Days seeing it not only as a celebration of summer, but as a glimpse into the history, heart and soul of our community as we gathered together in a way that cannot be achieved via Ribfest or even Last Fling.

It is with these thoughts that I was very saddened to learn upon visiting the Naper Days site a few minutes ago to gather this year’s dates that the festival has been “retired” citing “declining revenues combined with the current economic environment“.

I realize this event was a means to financially benefit the Naper Settlement and the Naperville Heritage Society; however, it’s sad to see how quickly we give up at a time when our community needs more than ever to come together, to be together, to celebrate Naperville in a way that is lost in the mix of other local festivals.

I’ve always believed that money is a measure of survival, not of purpose.  In my mind, the scope of this festival has a broader reach as there is no better platform offered throughout the year for the Naper Settlement to share its purpose with the community than Naper Days.  In the process of fund raising, we must never overlook the significant importance of friend raising and bringing the community and families together.  SM

Mint Juleps, Southern Food and Great People Highlight Kentucky Derby 135 Party in Naperville

Some thought it was a longer shot than Mine That Bird to think that I would find enough people interested in the Kentucky Derby here in the Western Suburbs and Greater Chicagoland area to pull off a daylong traditional Derby Party.  I’ve always liked longshots and Saturday turned out to be the perfect day for bringing a little Derby tradition to our Naperville home.  With much thanks to my wife and fellow co-hosts of Tim Courtney, John Dallas Jr., Eric Broughton and Jason Jacobsohn… better known as the Fantastic Five.

As I mentioned in our previous posting, the was plenty of fresh mint juleps and Kentucky food, including Keene’s Kentucky Country Ham from Bardstown, Derby biscuits, Derby Pie from my mom’s own recipe, Roasted Garlic and Marscapone Cheese Grits, Fried Chicken, Macaroni and Cheese, Corn Casserole, homemade Kentucky Beer Cheese and much more.  I would like to publicly thank my wife for all of her efforts, support and tolerance in the construction of this genuine Kentucky experience.  I’m from Kentucky and she’s from New York so let’s just say she was a great sport.  I also want to thank my mother-in-law who was in town and provided allot of great help.

To get everyone in the full spirit, we featured a special bourbon tasting which consisted of 8 different Kentucky Bourbons.  In addition to the bottle of Willett Pot Still Reserve we contributed, other guests opted to bring a bottle as well.  In the end, we had the following Kentucky brands:  Willett, Jefferson’s Reserve, Bulleit, Knob Creek, Woodford Reserve, Maker’s Mark, Jim Beam and Evan Williams.  Judging by the bourbon levels in each bottle on Sunday morning, the clear favorites were the Willett Pot Still Reserve and Woodford Reserve.

In our party’s “winner takes all” betting pool on the Derby race, I will say that nobody picked the 50-1 shocker of Mine That Bird.  Of course, at the end of the day a great Derby Party is all about a gathering of great people and I want to thank everyone for coming out to Naperville to share in this wonderful tradition.

Countdown to My Old Kentucky Derby Party at My Naperville Home

Being a Kentucky native, you might imagine how homesick I tend to get this time of year as we approach the rich tradition of the Kentucky Derby, or as Kentuckians refer to it… the first Saturday in May.

Though the actual Kentucky Derby, traditionally the fifth race of the day, lasts only a couple of minutes, Derby Day in Kentucky is the culmination of the month-long Kentucky Derby Festival.  Throughout the month of April, there are countless Kentucky Derby Festival events, including steamboat races, hot-air balloon races, concerts, parades, celebrity galas, formal balls, plenty of fireworks, lots of indulgent Southern food and much more.

Churchill Downs opens its traditional Spring meet the Friday before Derby Day, which is known as Oaks Day, which ends with the running of the Kentucky Oaks.

I am asked all the time how many Kentucky Derbys I’ve attended at Churchill Downs and, as any Kentuckian would understand, it’s only been one.  Let’s just say my job out of college put me at the epicenter of the VIP Kentucky Derby experience.  Nonetheless, most Kentuckians prefer to by-pass the crushing madness of Churchill Downs in exchange for a hosted Derby Party.  Kentucky Derby Parties are legendary and full of tradition. 

I’m excited to be launching a Kentucky Derby Party tradition this year at my Naperville Home.  Wish I could invite everyone, but space is limited at “My Old Naperville Home”.  But “weep not more” my friends as here is some insight into what I have planned for the big day.

First, my guests will begin arriving around post time for the first race of the day, around 12:00 EDT/1:00 CDT.  ESPN is covering breakfast at the Downs as well as all races leading up to the actual Kentucky Derby race. 

The menu will include plenty of Southern Bluegrass Tradition:  Country Ham I’ve shipped in from Keene’s Hams in Bardstown, Kentucky Derby Breakfast Yeast Biscuits, Garlic Cheese Grits, Fried Chicken, Kentucky Beer Cheese, Derby Pie and much more.

Our guests will certainly get in the spirit with a nearly 200 year-old recipe for Mint Juleps, which consists of a minted sugar syrup blended with fresh mint, crushed ice and straight Kentucky bourbon.  Additionally, we will also have a bourbon tasting line-up for 5-10 lesser-known Kentucky-based brands.  

Speaking of bourbon, did you know that 90% of all bourbon whiskey in the world is produced in Kentucky?  There are over 80 Kentucky-based bourbon brands who export their tradition all over the country and world… even Tennessee.  Bourbon is known as the official American Spirit and takes its name from Bourbon County in Kentucky where some of the earliest whiskey was placed into charred oak barrels for transport from which bourbon derives its color and distinctive flavor 

I grew up very close to bourbon country and even as a child I can remember riding past the  Jim Beam distillery on the way to my grandmothers house and smelling the familiar bourbon mash in the air.  Makers Mark  is located just outside of my mother’s hometown of Lebanon. 

If you are interested in the history and tradition of bourbon, you should consider making a trip to Kentucky to cruise the Kentucky Bourbon Trail where you can visit and tour eight distilleries.

As for me, it’s back to the last minute details as Saturday approaches.  SM

International Artists Headline Naperville’s Von Heidecke School of the Chicago Festival Ballet Benefit on Sunday, October 12th

In the coming weeks and months you will begin to hear allot more about an exciting project I am working on with Naperville’s own Kenneth von Heidecke.  What many people may not know is that in addition to building his Von Heidecke School of the Chicago Festival Ballet in Naperville, he has long been honored as an internationally renowned figure in the ballet world. 

The Von Heidecke School of Ballet is holding a  very special benefit this Sunday, October 12th at the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet from 3:00 – 5:00 PM.  You have the opportunity to witness up close an array of national and international professional opera, dance and musical talent, including:

Viktoria Vizin, Hungarian Mezzo-Soprano who sang Carmen at the Lyric Opera, Royal Opera and will be debuting at the Metropolitan Opera this season.

David Yonan, German Concert violinist about to embark upon a world tour playing Paganinni.

Christine Steyer, Recently awarded the Founders Award at the IX Altamura Caruso International Voice Competition and 1st place at the National Opera Association Competition.

Elise Paschen, Celebrated writer/poet and daughter of legendary Primar Ballerina, Maria Tallchief.

Valerie Maze, The Lyric Opera’s Pianist who has worked with numerous national and international operas.

Teanna Zarro & Matthew Frain, Performing the pas de deux from Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet as choreographed by Kenneth von Heidecke.

String Trio, Providing background and chamber music.

You won’t want to miss this rare opportunity to experience world class performances while at the same time supporting an important Naperville arts institution.  I will be there and I hope to you see you there too.

For more information, CLICK HERE SM

Gavin DeGraw Truly Rocks Naperville During 2008 Last Fling Concert

I’ve always been a fiercely independent person who has never had any problem going to a movie or concert by myself.  As a songwriter and composer, music has been my lifelong passion since I first taught myself to play the piano and guitar as a child.  Last night was no exception as I found myself heading over to Rotary Hill for the Gavin DeGraw concert at Last Fling. (photo from www.gavindegraw.com)  

Having heard some of Gavin DeGraw’s work over the past couple of years, I was very interested to see how his combination of rock, soul and funk translated on stage.  By the time the final chords of his hit song “Chariot” ended in his final finale last night, I sat in awe as a total fan contemplating the best Last Fling concert I had ever attended. 

Aside from his considerable talent, there was a wonderful youthful energy at the show which generated authentic excitement when taken in comparsion to the usual national nostalgia acts Last Fling is famous for.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed seeing legendary bands like .38 Special and Cheap Trick over the years, but the energy was much different on this evening.  Being among the thiry-something crowd, I often find myself caught in the middle enjoying both younger and older acts.  

Hailing from Fallsburg, NY, DeGraw took to the stage with a band which might geographically provide some hints as to the roots of his musical style.  With a keyboard player from New Orleans, a bass player from Arkansas and a lead guitarist from North Carolina, it was clear that DeGraw’s devotion is to a soulful brand of southern rock.  Yet, his music is very approachable for the masses. 

DeGraw has mastered the stage like a pro as was evidenced by his considerable and regular connection with the audience, which included a mediated proposal from one of the young audience members who tossed a note onto the stage asking a girl out to homecoming.  He also told a story from earlier in the afternoon in which the concert promoter mistook him for the opening act, Absentstar, shortly after exiting his tour bus after arriving at Rotary Hill.  A good story, but it left me wondering if this was a regular template “story” he might use to thank the opening act each evening.  Nonetheless, his stage presence definitely comes across as humble and genuine. 

DeGraw opened the concert on electric guitar, but quickly settled into a shimmering sparkling silver miniature baby grand style piano.  Despite his talent as a multi-instrumentalist, perhaps his greatest instrument is his unique soulful and gritty voice.  In a nutshell, in a live setting he certainly knows how to work out a song and seems to enjoy unleashing each and every note.

I want to pay special compliments to his sound and lighting engineer.  The opening act’s sound, engineered by the general house sound guy, was absolutely horrible.  Tragically, most opening acts suffer from not receiving “the treatment” from the sound folks.  Of course, DeGraw, had his own sound and lightning engineers who took the show very seriously.  I watched them working their magic from where I was sitting, just a few yards to the side of the front of the house sound pit.  Both lighting and sound spent the entire show bobbing their heads and working thier boards like an instrument in their own right.  The end product shined radiantly from the stage.  The crew is always the unsung heroes of a good show and I wanted to be sure they got their credit. 

The crowd delivered an enthusiastic wave of energy to DeGraw and company throughout the entire set and the sight of glowing cell phone screens shimmered within a large radius surrounding the stage.  While my folding chair was just behind the standing room only section, I would have moved down closer to the stage if I had the show to do over again.  Everyone stood throughout the entire show, which was great as I’ve received complaints in the past from fans who streamed into Naperville for one of the festival concerts and were irritated by the apathetic folks sitting in front of them.  Fortunately, this was a true fan’s show and I hope the Last Fling organizers continue to bring fresh acts like this in the future.

To Gavin DeGraw, thanks for a great show and hopefully we’ll see you again soon!  SM    

Naperville’s ThinkingGlobal Arts Foundation to Present ‘Celebration of Peace 2008′ on September 15 – October 29th

Martin Luther King III, Robert Thurman and a Special Film Festival Among the Highlights

Naperville is truly blessed to count among its residents a number of inpiring organizations seeking to promote and celebrate cultural understanding and appreciation within our community.  The ThinkingGlobal Arts Foundation is a shining example.  Among their many beliefs is that every good thing starts with a dream.

For the second year in a row, the ThinkingGlobal Arts Foundation will bring their dream of promoting peace and understanding within our community through their Celebration of Peace 2008.  The goal of the Celebration is to educate and inspire residents to embrace Peace in their daily lives through personal reflection, service, reconciliation and environmental awareness.

I believe the ultimate measure of any community is the investment of involvement by it’s people.  In the end, it’s not what we get in life… it’s what we are able to give which matters the most.  Communities are made rich not by the level of material success, but by the wealth of culture and diversity which affords us the opportunity to achieve a greater level of enlightened peace and understanding within our own lives.  Money is not what makes the world turn round, rather it is the love and appreciation we have for ourselves and others that matters most.  After all, when we delve beneath the surface of our cultural differences  we discover the commonality we all share as human beings… leaving “culture” not as something foreign but as yet another rich expression of the human experience.   

To learn more, visit ThinkingGlobal Arts Foundation or take a look at the Schedule of Events for the Celebration of Peace 2008.  SM