WHITAKER FOUNDATION OFFERS FREE SUMMER CONCERTS AT VARIOUS ST. LOUIS VENUES

(ST. LOUIS): The Whitaker Foundation announces its summer 2012 line up of free concerts open to the public at several locations across the St. Louis area. The music festivals are funded by the Whitaker Foundation, which supports St. Louis arts and parks to promote common heritage, celebrate diversity and encourage vitality within the community. Whitaker Music Festival returns to the Missouri Botanical Garden for the 18 th year, offering a ten-week lineup of free Wednesday evening outdoor concerts. Pack a picnic supper and enjoy the beauty of the Garden grounds in summertime bloom as you listen to the grooves and rhythms of an eclectic rotation of artists from week to week. Concerts will be held Wednesday evenings, June 1 through August 3 at 7:30 p.m. ; free admission begins at 5 p.m. and last entry is at 9 p.m. Whitaker Music Festival concerts will be held outdoors on the lawn of the open-air Cohen Amphitheater, just west of the Climatron ® dome. The 2011 performer lineup includes: • June 1 – Gumbohead, a full-blown Mardi Gras party. • June 8 –Teddy Presberg, funky, soulful jazz. • June 15 – Hudson and the Hoo Doo Cats, swingin’ shufflin’ blues, rockabilly and dance. • June 22 – The Jenny Kavanaugh Band, diverse alt-country. • June 29 – Nigel Mooney, Ireland’s leading jazz singer and guitarist. • July 6 – Marquise Knox, blues prodigy. • July 13 – Western Satellites, Americana blues swing. • July 20 – Billy Peek, St. Louis’ rock and roll legend. • July 27 – The Erin Bode Group, jazz and pop. • August 3 – Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three, jazz, ragtime, country blues and western swing. (more) ADD ONE: Whitaker Music Festival Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and are welcome to bring their own picnic supper, baskets or coolers; no barbecue grills or pets. Picnic fare will be available for purchase on site. The Garden is a tobacco-free campus; smoking is not allowed anywhere, indoors or outside, and visitors will be asked to extinguish or discard tobacco items. Soliciting is not permitted. The Missouri Botanical Garden is located at 4344 Shaw Blvd. in south St. Louis, accessible from Interstate 44 at the Vandeventer exit and from Interstate 64 at the Kingshighway North & South exit. Free parking is available on-site and two blocks west at the corner of Shaw and Vandeventer. For more information, visit www.mobot.org/events/whitaker or call the recorded hotline at (314) 577-5100. In the event of inclement weather, check the Garden’s website, Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/mobotnews ) or Facebook page ( www.facebook.com/missouribotanicalgarden ) for immediate concert updates. In addition to the Missouri Botanical Garden Concerts, the Whitaker Foundation is pleased to present the Ivory Perry Park Concert Series at Ivory Perry Park every 4 th Sunday in June, July and August from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 pm. The concerts are free of charge. Blankets, lawn chairs and coolers are welcome. Performers for the 2011 Ivory Park Concert Series Include: • June 26 – Trench Town Rock, reggae • July 24 – Charles Glenn, jazz, blues, funk, R&B and pop. • August 26 – Tony Simmons, blues, funk, R&B and soul Ivory Perry Park is located at 800 North Belt, 2 blocks off of Delmar in University City. The Whitaker Foundation will present in partnership with Grace Hill, the Fifth Annual Whitaker Urban Evening Series held every Thursday from June 9 through July 14 in St. Louis Place Park. In addition to the musical line up, kids will enjoy face-painting, balloon sculptors, magicians and fire eaters. Performers for the Fifth Annual Whitaker Urban Evening Series include: • June 9 – Griffin and Gargoyles • June 16 – A Tribute to the Temptations and Four Tops by Velvet • June 23 – Soul Alliance • June 30 – Hudson and the Hoo Doo Cats (over) ADD TWO: Whitaker Music Festival • July 7 – The Memories of Elvis and Buddy Holly Featuring Steve Davis and Thomas Hickey Since 2007, more than 13,000 people from across the region have enjoyed the Whitaker Urban Evening Series. For more information visit: www.thewhitakerfoundation.org or call 314-241-4352. # # #

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The Missouri Botanical Garden’s mission is “to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment in order to preserve and enrich life.” Today, 152 years after opening, the Missouri Botanical Garden is a National Historic Landmark and a center for science, conservation, education and horticultural display.