Event:
Stratford Place Music in the Courtyard
Date:
Thursdays from early June through early September
7pm—9pm
Type:
Open-air jazz concert. Many people bring their own
lawn chairs. Ice cream and food available for sale
nearby.
Opportunities for Participation:
Plenty of space for dancing. Audience may clap and
sing along.
Location:
Stratford
Place Shopping Center, at Business 40 and
Stratford Rd.,
Winston-Salem
Click here for a map.
Directions:
From Business 40, take the
Stratford Rd.
northbound exit. Turn north (a right turn if
traveling west on Business 40, a left turn if
traveling east). Stratford Place shopping center is
on the right hand side of
Stratford Rd.
just beyond the overpass. Big Shotz Tavern is the
most obvious business in the shopping center. The
music takes place in the courtyard, which sits
behind Big Shotz Tavern.
Cost:
Free
Parking:
Free in the shopping center parking lot. There is
room for buses.
Special
Needs Access: Handicap
accessible.
Signage:
There are signs on the premises—at the entrance to
the shopping center, along the main drive, and at
the performance space.
Sponsors:
Blue Ridge Ice Creams, along with other shops at
Stratford Place
Website:
www.blueridgeicecreams.com
Contact:
Deborah Lee
E-mail:
blueridgeicecreams@earthlink.net
Phone: (336) 724-5454
Address: 135
South Stratford Rd.
Winston-Salem,
NC 27104
Description
of Event: On Thursday
evenings in the summer, the courtyard at
Stratford Place is filled
with people of all ages enjoying jazz performed by
some of Winston-Salem’s finest musicians. As the
sun sets, audience members relax in lawn chairs,
dance to the music, and enjoy a cone from Blue Ridge
Ice Creams, which is adjacent to the courtyard. The
acts are generally local, and have included Ron
Rudkin of the North Carolina
School of the Arts, Martha and the
Moodswingers, the Muddy River Jazz Band, and Warren,
Bodie & Allen.
History of
Site/Event: In the mid
1990’s, Deborah Lee and Scott Rieckmann, owners of
Blue Ridge Ice Creams, began a weekly series of
outdoor jazz concerts in the summer as a way to show
appreciation to their customers. Over time, other
shops and restaurants in
Stratford Place began to
participate, and the event has continued to grow.
Description
of Site/Facility: The
courtyard at Stratford
Place is surrounded by shops. The band plays under
a gazebo in the center of the courtyard. There are
some chairs at the courtyard, but many people bring
their own. Food is available at two restaurants at
the courtyard: Midtown Café and Dessertery, and Big
Shotz Tavern, which offers outdoor dining adjacent
to the courtyard. Blue Ridge Ice Creams, also at
the courtyard, makes its own ice cream on location
and is a popular place for a summer treat along with
the
music.
Significance
of Site/Event to the Community:
Ms. Lee describes the event as a celebration of
family time, relaxation time, and music!
***
PHOTO CREDITS:
1st photo by John Macmillan (c) 2008
Other photos courtesy
www.blueridgeicecreams.com
