Pattye Benson

Community Matters

Paoli Sings the Blues

2nd Annual Paoli Sings the Blues, Saturday, October 2 — FREE

The countdown is on . . . just a few days remain until the annual blues festival in Paoli.

Yes, the 2nd Annual Paoli Sings the Blues is this Saturday. Along with Marie Thibault, I am co-chairing the blues festival which is setting itself up as a spectacular event . . . for Paoli, for the small business community and for the public! John Fattibene, our third partner (and financial genius) tells us that we are on target with the budget. Of course, he also reminds us that the Paoli Blues Fest is continuing to accept contributions and sponsorships right up to Saturday.

Along with hundreds of volunteers, vendors, musicians, etc. Paoli is the place to be on Saturday. The weather is also getting onboard – 68 degrees under sunny skies! Hope to see you there!

2nd Annual Paoli Sings the Blues
Saturday, October 2nd

Noon ’til 6:00 PM
Rain or Shine!

FREE CONCERTS! Street Fair, food, dancing, Beer Garden, Blues Fest t-shirts $15, kids’ stuff and lots of music – Paoli will be hummin’, singin’ and swayin’ to the Blues!

3 Stages!
Main Stage: Paoli Village Shoppes
2 Community Stages: Paoli Shopping Center and Malvern Federal Savings Bank

For Band Schedule for each Stage go to www.paolibluesfest.com

The Paoli Blues Fest, Inc. is a registered 501(c) nonprofit organization and your contribution is tax-deductible as the law permits.

Main Line Suburban Life Helps get Word out about Paoli Sings the Blues Fundraiser

Thank you Tom Murray, Blair Meadowcroft and the Main Line Suburban Life for helping the Paoli Blues Fest committee get the word out about our upcoming Paoli Sings the Blues Fundraiser on July 30 – we much appreciated the press in this week’s paper. And thank you Main Line Suburban Life for your sponsorship of the 2nd Annual Paoli Blues Fest!

In addition to great blues music, food and drink . . . the night’s Silent Auction has some fabulous offerings, including Phillies tickets, Antoinette and MediSpa visits, Aronimink golf package with lunch & drinks, and much, much more!

It’s not too late to get your tickets. Visit the Paoli Blues Fest website, www.paolibluesfest.com for further details and to purchase a ticket.

Paoli’s second Blues Fest to have advance fundraiser

By Blair Meadowcroft

After the success of the first Paoli Blues Fest held last summer, the event has been made an annual one. On Saturday, Oct. 2, Paoli will be taken over by blues musicians and music-lovers alike. From noon to 5 p.m., live music, a street fair, vendors of all varieties and activities for children will be in three areas. Stages will be set at the Paoli Shopping Center and Malvern Federal Bank and the main stage will be at Paoli Village Shoppes.

According to event co-chair Pattye Benson, the expected amount of attendees could be 10,000 people. “This was the largest blues festival in the Philadelphia region last year,” said Benson. “There was an excess of 5,000 in attendance.”

To prepare for this year’s Blues Fest, there will be a “Paoli Sings the Blues” fund-raiser Friday, July 30, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Royer-Greaves School, 118 S. Valley Road in Paoli. The purpose of the event, according to Benson, is twofold.

“We’re hoping this will be financially helpful for the Blues Fest, but we also hope to get people really energized for this year’s event,” said Benson. “We’re having shirts printed to sell at the fund-raiser. Hopefully people will wear them and get the word out about the event.”

The fund-raiser will consist of live music by PokerFace as well as guest Russ Lambert of the Dance Shaker Band. Alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks will be available, and the food, which is being provided by Bridgeport Ribhouse, will be Southern-style barbecue chicken and ribs.

In addition, guests can participate in a silent auction with items such as Phillies tickets and gift certificates to local shops and restaurants. Tickets are $45 and for sale at the Paoli Blues Fest Web site, www.paolibluesfest.com. All proceeds from the fund-raiser will benefit this year’s Blues Fest.

The Paoli Blues Fest was started after a recommendation from local blues musicians.
“A couple of musicians came to the Paoli Business Association and suggested it would be a great idea to have a blues festival as a means of trying to excite and inspire the Paoli community,” said Benson, a member of the Paoli Business Association. “We felt this could be a real feel-good community event that could spur local business sales.”

While last year’s event was held under the auspices of the Paoli Business Association, it was decided that it needed to be its own entity. According to Benson, the Paoli Blues Fest Inc. recently received 501c3 nonprofit designation, which makes donations tax-deductible as permitted by law. “We were so excited. This is a huge deal and an enormous validation for this event,” said Benson.

Many businesses as well as individuals are helping to make sure this year’s Blues Fest goes off without a hitch. With a budget of $40,000, a lot of work from many volunteers goes into securing the necessary finances. Among this year’s sponsors are Paoli Hospital, Malvern Federal Bank, Paoli Hardware, Main Line Today, Main Line Suburban Life and TD Bank.

“Every sponsor from last year is sponsoring this year and more,” said Benson. “And we’re hoping the fund-raiser will help financially as well.” Along with the sponsors, many of the same musicians from last year will be performing, along with some fresh faces. “Because of the success of the inaugural event, we started receiving musicians’ CDs from all over the country,” said Benson. “One came from as far as California.”

Benson went on to explain that at 4 p.m. on the day of the Blues Fest the two smaller stages will close and the main stage will host all performers for one final joint set. “They have a special song that they have all learned and will perform,” said Benson.

While it is a lot of work to make sure this event goes off as planned, Benson, along with co-chair Marie Thibault, said they do it for the community.

“This event is successful in bringing the community together, which is one of the things Marie and I do best,” said Benson. “People set aside differences to come together and work on this project, and it gets people from the community together.”

Paoli Sings the Blues Fundraiser on Friday, July 30 — You are Invited!

Based on the success of last year’s Paoli Blues Fest, the committee decided to move ahead and make the free community event an annual event. We have scheduled the 2nd Annual Paoli Blues Fest for Saturday, October 2 and the volunteers have been busy lining up blues bands, sponsors, street fair vendors, etc. The board of directors of the Paoli Blues Fest applied for, and the IRS recently awarded us with 501(c)3 status which makes all donations tax-deductible as the law permits.

Last year, 5000+ people from Paoli and beyond attended the blues festival and this year we are expecting the 2nd annual event to far exceed that number. As you can imagine, the budget for a major community event is not without expenses. While we are grateful to the many sponsors, including Paoli Hospital, Paoli Hardware, Penn Liberty Bank, Malvern Federal Bank, to name but a few, we decided a summer Paoli Sings the Blues fundraiser would help kick-off the Paoli Blues Fest and help us raise funds for the free blues fest in October.

The Paoli Sings the Blues fundraiser is scheduled for July 30th and will be held at the historic Royer-Greaves School on N. Valley Road in Paoli. The event will provide a wonderful preview night of blues music with PokerFace, finger-lickin barbeque, silent auction and lots of fun and laughter. Visit www.paolibluesfest.com for information about the fundraiser and the 2nd Annual Paoli Blues Fest. Tickets for the fundraiser can be ordered online or click here for thePaoli Sings the Blues Fundraiser Ticker Order Form.

Co-chairing the Paoli Sings the Blues fundraiser and the 2nd Annual Paoli Blues Fest with Marie Thibault – we understand the success of any event is about the volunteers and we thank them. We appeal to you to help us – help the community – by purchasing a ticket to the fundraiser. We also need volunteers for the fundraiser and many, many volunteers for the blues fest in October. If you would like to join the Paoli Blues Fest Committee, help with the fundraiser or if you have any questions, please contact me at tredyffrincommunitymatters@gmail.com. On behalf of the Paoli Blues Fest committee, thank you for your support!

Frozen Custard, Italian Market, Gourmet Coffee, Seafood, Burgers & Fries . . . Fewer Empty Storefronts in Paoli!

Last week State Representative Paul Drucker announced $1 million from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program for the Paoli Transportation Center. This money represents a first step in this major land development project and we’re looking forward to the project getting in to full swing!

In addition to the transportation center funding news, it is exciting to see other positive signs of growth in Paoli. Under the leadership of Judy Huey and her brother Rob DiSerafino, Paoli Village Shoppes has become the centerpiece of Paoli. Their creative planning and vision for the future has set the standard for Paoli. Unlike other shopping locations on Lancaster Avenue, you rarely see an empty storefront or a ‘for lease’ sign at this location.

As space become available in Paoli Village Shoppes, there seems to be a new tenant waiting in the wings to take the empty spot. Jake’s, a cute frozen custard place is opening next to the Penn Liberty Bank. Not a traditional ice cream shop, Jake’s is fashioned after a Wisconsin Custard Stand with a menu anchored by “made fresh daily” Wisconsin Style Frozen Custard. Jake’s plans to be open by late summer! Another new addition coming to the Paoli Village Shoppes will be Martini’s. An obvious throwback to the DiSerafino Italian heritage, many of us are anxious to have an Italian market in our own backyard. (BTW – I understand that the owner of Martini’s Italian Market in Paoli Village Shoppes is the son of the owners of the old Martini’s Restaurant that was on Lancaster Ave. in Devon for many years).

Seafood USA in Paoli is now open and I understand has great crab legs and shrimp cocktail! Across from Seafood USA, the old Fellini’s restaurant (which unfortunately closed under Chapter 11), I see has a new banner advertising Grappa Cafe hanging across the doorway. Not sure what kind of food this new BYOB will be serving — I peeked in the window and it looks like new construction is underway.

Paoli Shopping Center has been challenged in today’s economy – they currently seem to have a number of empty storefronts. Many in the community were disappointed when the ice cream shop, Stone Cold Creamery closed their doors . . . but there’s a new banner, Ashys Burger & Fries, hanging over that storefront. Not sure what to expect from Ashys, other than burgers and french fries; also no indication as to opening date . . . stay turned.

Whirled Peace, q new fun frozen yogurt place with outdoor seating, has opened on Lancaster Ave. at the former site of Rita’s Water Ice. Opening just in time for our summer heat wave, Whirled Peace is setting itself apart from more traditional ice cream/frozen yogurt places — they have 4 flavors of frozen yogurt and twists with tons of toppings but it’s a do-it-yourself operation. At the counter you weigh your creation, pay and they hand you a spoon. As a FYI, be careful with how many toppings you add; I witnessed the surprise expression of a customer’s $8 ice cream!

I hope that I have encouraged you to pay a visit to Paoli . . . these small business owners are taking a chance and opening up their eaterys along this section of Lancaster Avenue and need our support!

When talking about Paoli, I’d be remiss not to mention one of Paoli’s most vocal cheerleaders! Always positive and enthusiastic, . . the face (and voice) behind a lot of the new exciting changes in Paoli is Marie Thibault. A long-standing Paoli homeowner and business owner, Marie served as the president of Paoli Business & Professional Association for the last 2 years. Although Marie’s term as president ended in June, her vision and tireless dedication that Paoli be ‘all that it can be’ will remain her legacy.

Full disclosure — Marie and I are close friends and together co-chaired the Paoli Sings the Blues, Paoli’s first bluesfest community event held last October. Successful beyond our wildest expectations with 5,000+ attendees, we are well underway in planning the 2nd Annual Paoli Blues Fest scheduled for October 2, 2010. As part of our fundraising efforts for the annual blues fest, we have scheduled a Paoli Sings the Blues fundraiser for July 30, 7-10 PM at Royer-Greaves School on N. Valley Rd. in Paoli – I will post the invitation and details tomorrow.

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