Music

It Ragtime Time

Eau Claire Ragtime Festival plans 13th installment

Emily Anderson |

Dave Majchrzak, shown here tickling the ivories.
 
Past 'fest perfprmer Dave Majchrzak, shown here tickling the ol' ivories.

The Eau Claire Ragtime Festival is a three-day extravaganza featuring four concerts (Friday and Saturday afternoon and evening). Featured at each concert are performers Paul Asaro and the St. Louis Stompers. Asaro is a Grammy-winning stride and ragtime piano player from Illinois. The St. Louis Stompers are a six-piece band formed in 1981. They play a variety of styles including Chicago and New Orleans style jazz as well as Dixieland and Ragtime. Before each concert there will be a pre-concert featuring a showcase of local, regional, and national ragtime performers (such as our very own Jim Radloff), playing as attendees take their seats before the main event. There will be three catered meals on site, one each day; however, there is a seating limit for each so those interested are urged to get tickets early. Concessions will also be available throughout the festival. If you’re itching to learn more about the history of ragtime, there will be two ragtime symposiums on Saturday morning. After the symposium, there will be a silent movie coupled with ragtime piano accompaniment. Finally, on Sunday morning, there will be a ragtime themed worship service. Concert tickets can be purchased individually or all four can be purchased for a special price. A full schedule and more details can be found at the festival’s website: ecragtime.org.