The celebration will close down West Merchant Street to vehicle traffic from 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday, as Audubon residents congregate in the borough downtown for food, games, music, and beer.
By Matt Skoufalos | April 23, 2018
Audubon Day will be held April 28 from 3 to 9 p.m. on Merchant Street. Credit: Celebrate Audubon.
Terri Wallace describes herself as “an Audubon lifer.”
Her children are the fifth generation of the family to grow up in her home.
Her parents were sweethearts at Audubon High School.
She grew up with sweeping Fourth of July festivities, and alongside next-door neighbors of 40 years.
It’s traditions like those that she wants to revive “to give to my kids,” said Wallace, who heads the Audubon Celebration Committee.
Her first kick at the can comes this Saturday, when the borough business district opens up Merchant Street to the public for Audubon Day, a six-hour, family-friendly block party.
“We’re a square-mile town with a lot of personality, and a lot going on,” Wallace said. “This is a day to celebrate Audubon.”
Audubon Commissioner Rob Jakubowski said the event is an opportunity for guests to sample everything the community has to offer, from its local volunteer groups to its downtown businesses.
“We know our residents want more activities like this,” Jakubowski said. “We love our little town, and we would love for people to come enjoy it with us.”
April 26 is the birthday of town namesake John J. Audubon, the naturalist famous for his study of North American birds. Jakubowski said Audubon Day is intended as an annual celebration to be held on the final week of April in his honor.
“We wanted to put it around his birthday, and make sure everyone knows that’s our weekend,” he said.
From left: Audubon Day organizers Danielle Ingves, Rob Jakubowski, Terri Wallace. Credit: Matt Skoufalos.
It’s also an opportunity for the borough, which styles itself as “The Most Patriotic Small Town in America,” to fundraise for its annual Fourth of July celebration.
“The heartbeat of America is a small town, and Audubon is your perfect example of small-town America,” Jakubowski said.
“We raise our kids together, we hang together; it’s a family feeling.”
Audubon Day activities will include games for children, an eight-band lineup of musical acts, a beer garden, and food provided by local businesses.
Local nonprofit organizations will share sidewalk space with more than 20 small vendors.
“We want to have all of our restaurants show off what they can do,” Jakubowski said.
“We’re not bringing in outside food trucks. We love them, but we want to promote our businesses.”
Longtime community volunteer Danielle Ingves, who’s celebrating her twentieth year in the borough, said Audubon is a gem that’s ready to have a little of its shine restored. She hopes Audubon Day will be a strong first step in its revival.
“I love everything about this town, and all the things that a small community has to offer,” Ingves said. “I love raising my family here, I love to try and make a difference in town, and I want to help all the organizations do well.”
Food Vendors
- Acme
- Angelo’s Pizza
- Antonino’s Pizza
- Desserts by Design
- Sandro’s Deli
- Smoke BBQ
- Speedy Mart
- The Treehouse
- Toscano’s
The Kove Beer Garden (Oakland Avenue) Tap List
- Bud Light
- Goose Island IPA
- Michelob Ultra
- Spellbound Peach IPA
- Victory Summer Love
- Sangria
Band Lineup
- 3:00pm – 3:30pm – Sara O’Brien and Friends
- 3:45pm – 4:15pm – Conservatory of Musical Arts jazz quartet
- 4:30pm – 5:15pm – School of Rock
- 5:30pm – 6:00pm – The Jive Bombers
- 6:15pm – 6:45pm – 5 Second Rule
- 7:00pm – 7:45pm – Thursday’s Alibi
- 8:00pm – 10:00pm – Eastbound & Down
Visit the Audubon Celebration Committee page for a list of local vendors and a list of local organizations represented at Audubon Day.
