Music filled the air all night long around the Naperville Riverwalk on Tuesday, kicking off the first-ever River Sounds, a summer music series organized by the Downtown Naperville Alliance.
First up was a jazz group, led by Mark Cabinian, in the Jaycees WiFi Park.
Then, as dusk settled in, opera singer Sladjana Saric, founder of Bel Canto Music Academy in Naperville, took center stage from a boat on the river, performing a cappella.
River Sounds to take place every week during the summer
The event is the first of six scheduled to take place throughout the summer.
“It’s going to be Tuesday nights from the middle of June to the end of July. We’re skipping Fourth of July week, but every week we just encourage people to come downtown on Tuesday night, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., whether they want to go dine, stroll, and come enjoy some music,” said Katie Wood, executive director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance.
A unique musical experience along the river
“We want people to be surprised. It’ll be a different musical genre every week, some at the WiFi park, some in the river, and it’s entirely free.”
Shannon Greene Robb, another organizer, said the event allows them to use the available spaces to bring a unique experience to Naperville.
“We love the aspect of people happening upon something…They didn’t plan to come to this, but then they think about ‘What is over there? Well, that sounds interesting. How can I be part of that?’ And that’s the energy we like to create in the community,” she said.
For three hours, the crowd listened to the different musical stylings, delighting in the sounds.
“I think that this adds and elevates the summer plans that we have, something that you can do with your friends, something that you can bring your kids to, very family-friendly…and just having the music on a beautiful night, it’s very relaxing,” said Naperville resident Madeline Veloria.
River Sounds will be back with more rhythms by the river next Tuesday, June 24.
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