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Whitaker Music Festival at the Garden
Think “summertime” and mark your calendar for another great season of free concerts under the stars on Wednesdays at the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Whitaker Music Festival.
Continuing the “Jazz in June” tradition, mellow vocalist Erin Bode opens on June 4, followed by mother-and-son jazz duo, Two Times True, June 11; progressive jazz by Le Jazz Hot!, June 18; and jazz, Motown and funk by the Tony Simmons Band, June 25.
An eclectic lineup features jazz and pop newcomer Anita Rosamund, July 2; contemporary acoustic pop/rock by Javier Mendoza, July 9; beloved St. Louis blues singer Kim Massie, July 16; vintage French cabaret music by the Poor People of Paris, July 23; and FolknBluesGrass, July 30.
Laytham and Holmes perform a Las Vegas revue on Aug. 6 and the series concludes with raucous blues and funk by Alvin Jett & the Phat noiZ, Aug. 13.
“With a backlog of great talent built up for this series, we’ve planned a whole season of first-time appearances by local artists,” said Jim Kalkbrenner, public events manager for the Garden. “Erin Bode opens with a rain-check concert from last year, and then every week will be a new experience for the seasoned Whitaker crowd. It’s fun to hear such excitement coming from bands who have dreamed about playing at the Garden.”
Now in its fourteenth season, the popular music festival is funded by the Whitaker Foundation, which supports St. Louis arts and parks to promote common heritage, diversity and vitality within the community.
Admission to the Garden is free on Wednesdays in summer after 5:00 p.m. Concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. Come early to enjoy the flowers in bloom and see the playful “Niki” mosaic and painted sculptures by artist Niki de Saint Phalle. Children will be especially fascinated by these whimsical, larger-than-life animals and dancing women made of glass, tiles and semi-precious stones. Much of the art invites touching, climbing or sitting. Niki’s sculptures of Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis will be located near the Cohen Amphitheater stage.
The Children’s Garden will stay open on Wednesdays until 7:00 p.m., with free admission after 5:00 p.m.
Bring a blanket or lawn chairs and a picnic — as the concerts are the only time when picnicking is allowed. Or buy sandwiches, snacks and beverages on site. Please leave pets and barbecue grills at home and remember, the Garden is tobacco free.
The Garden is located at 4344 Shaw Blvd. in St. Louis, just off I-44 at Vandeventer. Free off-street parking is available in the Garden’s lots at 4344 Shaw and two blocks west at the Shaw-Vandeventer intersection. Enter the Garden via the main entrance driveway on Shaw Blvd. or pedestrian gates on Alfred Ave. to the west and Tower Grove Ave. to the east.
If it rains, check the Garden’s Web site at www.mobot.org or WSIE, 88.7 FM, for concert status updates. For more information, log on to www.mobot.org or call (314) 577-9400 or (800) 642-8842.
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