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.
The concert took place amid McCord Gallery’s current exhibition, Pets Our Animal Friends, giving guests the opportunity to enjoy both live music and local artwork. During intermission, patriotic desserts added another festive touch as concertgoers visited with friends and admired the gallery’s exhibits.
Sue Peterson, civic engagement and outreach chair for the Palos Park Women’s Club, said McCord Gallery has become one of the community’s greatest cultural assets.
“We are so lucky to have McCord in our community,” Peterson said. “How many communities the size of Palos Park have an art gallery?”
Peterson said the relationship between the gallery and the Palos Park Women’s Club has remained strong over the years. McCord was one of four community organizations the club supported through donations this year. The others were Palos School District 118, the Palos Park Public Library and the Consolidated High School District 230 Education Foundation.
The evening celebrated more than America’s milestone birthday. It also showcased the partnerships between local organizations that continue to enrich the community through the arts, education and civic involvement.
Carol Trzcinski, executive director of McCord Gallery & Cultural Center, thanked the Palos Park Women’s Club for sponsoring the event and helping extend the nation’s 250th birthday celebration.
“McCord Gallery thanks the Palos Park Women’s Club for making this 250th anniversary celebration possible,” Trzcinski said. “Here’s to the red, white and blue!”
