Ferragosto celebration at Lino’s to feature 6 hours of live music to benefit 6 Rockford nonprofits

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A new celebration this summer will feature six hours of live music alternating between two stages at Lino’s restaurant for the benefit of six local nonprofit groups.

The event is branded after the Italian holiday Ferragosto and will take place from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26 at the 51-year-old restaurant, 5611 E. State St. Organizers announced the event on Sunday.

Ferragosto builds off last year’s live music and outdoor music series called Four Fridays in the 14th Ward, which happened on four nights at Lino’s. Both events were paid for by the city’s Forward for Fun initiative, which dedicates $10,000 in federal coronavirus stimulus money for each ward to host a celebration that brings people together and supports the local economy.

“It was important to me last year and this year that we have an event that doesn’t just bring people together and provide great entertainment and a great community event, but that also supports small businesses like Lino’s that contribute to our local economy and are also part of our cultural fabric in Rockford,” said Alderman Mark Bonne, who represents the 14th Ward.

He said it was also important to support the six nonprofits, which are “Rockford institutions themselves.”

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The $10,000 from the city will be used to pay performers and for marketing through local organizations, as well as to hire Lino’s staff members to work the event. Lino’s, in turn, is donating the proceeds of all of its food and beverage sales during the event to be split among the six nonprofits.

The nonprofits benefiting from the event are the Friends of Coronado, Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful, the International Women’s Baseball Center, Golden Apple Foundation, Rockford Promise and the NIU Rockford Alumni Club for the David & Diane Graf Rockford Endowed Scholarship.

Lino’s owner Charlie Schweinler, part of the third generation of the Battista family running the restaurant, said the nonprofits are “icons” in this community.

“We’re looking forward to participating, giving back and being a part of the community,” Schweinler said. “Thank you Alderman Bonne and the mayor for inviting us to be a part of such a great thing.”

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Musical entertainment will start with the Vince Chiarrelli Band, which is known for a musical style that is authentic to Italian-American culture, and continues with the NIU Jazztet and Espinosa & Coffey.

There will also be performances by the Amici Italiani Dance Troupe, vendors and prize drawings such as a chance to win a baseball signed by former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player Maybelle Blair, a Lino’s gift card and tickets to the Tina Turner tribute show at the Coronado Performing Arts Center on Dec. 6.

Admission to the event is free.

Know before you go | Ferragosto

When: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26

Where: Lino’s Italian Restaurant, 5611 E. State St., Rockford

Admission: Free