The Lillie M. Evans Library District will be hosting our free concert series on the first 3 Fridays in June 2023. We are excited to be celebrating our sixth anniversary providing these family-friendly concerts in Princeville’s Stevens Square. Please bring your own lawn chairs for your seating comfort or feel free to stay in your vehicle.
The Princeville to Peoria St. Jude Run will provide a water and soda concession (sponsored by the Princeville State Bank) in the Square and local food vendors will provide food options nearby before and during the concerts. Food will be available locally starting at 5pm and the concerts will start at 7pm. Nightly specials at the Feed Store (116 E Spring St), High Voltage (129 E Main St), and the Stomping Ground (211 E Main St) will be listed in the Square each evening when known.
Barry Cloyd will be leading off the concert series on June 2nd. Barry is a Peoria area musician and songwriter who has spent a lifetime creating a performance style that weaves the genres of Blues, Folk, and Celtic music into a unique blend all his own. A strong vocalist and multi-instrumentalist as well as a storyteller, theatrical performer and historian, Barry delivers his music on a multitude of guitars and other stringed instruments, such as 5-string banjo and mandolin.
On June 9th, we will be hosting Central Illinois’ River Valley Big Band. We are excited to host their performance for a second year. Started in 2015 by Susie Dunnan and Ken Hess, they’re focused on bringing the best music has to offer with a live, 18 member band. Enjoy the concert as you listen to the sound of your big band favorites being played.
For our final concert, we are pleased to welcome the Water Street Stompers on June 16th. The Water Street Stompers bring the spirit of Mardi Gras to Peoria with traditional New Orleans Jazz. The music of Mardi Gras gathers influences from the sounds of the Caribbean, Africa, France, and Spain, all while incorporating Native American chanting. Join us for a foot stomping experience!
Steven’s Square is located on the corner of West Evans Street and IL-91 in Princeville. In case of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Lillie M. Evans Library at 207 N. Walnut in Princeville. More information about this and other library programs can be found on the Lillie M. Evans Library website at lmelibrary.org.
