America’s 250th birthday celebration continued Thursday evening in Palos Park, where music, patriotism and community came together inside McCord Gallery & Cultural Center.
Sponsored by the Palos Park Women’s Club, the Americana Music Celebration brought neighbors together July 9 for an evening of patriotic favorites, Dixieland jazz and summertime fellowship. The concert carried the spirit of the nation’s 250th anniversary beyond the Fourth of July, celebrating America’s history and traditions through music.
The celebration began outside the gallery, where Joey’s Food Truck served hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and beverages as guests gathered on a warm summer evening. Friends visited over a casual meal before making their way inside for the concert, creating the feel of a neighborhood picnic.
Inside McCord Gallery, Ann Stewart and the Banjo Buddies Dixieland Trio filled the room with the sounds of banjo, trumpet, trombone, guitar and drums. Despite its name, the group was much more than a banjo performance, delivering a lively mix of Dixieland jazz, blues, swing and popular songs. The musicians also performed patriotic favorites in recognition of America’s 250th birthday, prompting audience members to clap along and, at times, quietly sing the familiar lyrics…