On June 11, 12 and 13, 2012, you’ll have a chance to see — and hear — history. The Blind Boone Ragtime and Early Jazz Festival includes concerts as well as free, open to the public events.
But where’s the history? What’s the historic home part of this festival? Ah, I can answer that.
1. Ragtime music, made popular by Columbia resident J.W. “Blind” Boone, 1864-1927, ushered in jazz. As part of the festival, his partially renovated home at 10 N. Fourth Street will be toured. The tour is set for 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13. The home is on the National Register of Historic Places. The house dates back to 1891, according to the NRHP document.
2. Many of the events of the festival itself will be held in another historic building — The Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts at 203 S. Ninth Street. Built in 1928, the building under went a $10 million renovation in 2007-2008. The Missouri Theatre was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The concerts cost $25 to $30, but the schedule of events includes the free to the public events below:
Monday, June 11th
- Afternoon Music Fair – At the Missouri Theatre from 10am – 12 Noon
- Afternoon Tour – At the Boone County Historical Society Museum at 1:30pm
- Monday Afternoon Seminar – Mitch Meador presents Arranging for the 21st Century orchestration At the Missouri Theatre at 3:15pm
Tuesday, June 12th
- Daytime Music Fair – At the Missouri Theatre from 10am – 12 Noon
Wednesday, June 13th
- Afternoon Music Fair – At the Missouri Theatre from 10am – 12 Noon
- Afternoon Tour – At the partially historically restored Home of John William Boone. Located at: 10 North 4th Street – starts at 1:30pm
- Afternoon Seminar – The team that brought about the republication of Melissa Fuell’s 1915 Blind Boone biography: Mary Barile, Christine Montgomery, Mike Shaw, Greg Olson, and Max Morath. At the Missouri Theatre at 3:15pm