Aurora festival on Saturday will put ukulele music front and center – Chicago Tribune

The sixth annual Aurora Uke Fest will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday in several locations in downtown Aurora to celebrate the music of the ukulele.

Originally the idea of Aurora Ald. Michael Saville, 6th Ward, the Aurora Uke Fest is now a traditional part of Aurora’s late summer.

Saville envisioned the Uke Fest years ago as a festival with performances from big names in the ukulele scene, workshops, vendors and more. He had been to other ukulele festivals, and found them to be laid-back family fun.

He envisioned the festival as having a ukulele concert, sing-alongs, workshops, dancing and vendors.

He secured the help of Todd VonOhlen, who works in the music business and has contacts in the local music community, who reached out to local musicians Carl and Andrew Hix, of Hix Brothers Music. They all remain involved in the festival.

One of the reasons for the festival was to take advantage of the growing popularity of the ukulele during the past 15 years. It is played by professional musicians, celebrities and millions of Americans, event organizers said.

This year, ukulele workshops begin at 11 a.m. overlooking the Fox River at Millennium Plaza on Stolp Avenue.

There will also be an open mic at 11 a.m. and a strum-along session at noon on the main stage on Water Street Mall.

Main stage performances begin at 1 p.m. and will feature Todd Lorenc, Two Ukes and a Bass, Hoapili and Hula O’Puanani, Hix Brothers Ukulele Band, Aaron Baer, The Fabulous Heftones, Lil’ Rev and Ukulele Kings.

The festival will close with a jam session from 8:30 to 9 p.m.

Sponsors of the Aurora Uke Fest include Saville and Alds. Emmanuel Llamas, 1st Ward, Juany Garza, 2nd Ward, William Donnell, 4th Ward, Carl Franco, 5th Ward, and Patty Smith, 8th Ward; Ball Horticultural Co.; Hix Brothers Music School; PM Music Center; Kala Brand Music Co.; Musical Expressions; the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau; the city of Aurora; TV Sounds Rental and Audio Visual Equipment; Joyce Maldonado Arts; Vesco; and TBabb’s Design.

For more information, go to auroraukefest.com or see Aurora Uke Fest on Facebook.

slord@tribpub.com