When Main Street closes the 200 block of North Academy Street for its annual Summer Party, also known as the Taste of Rutherford, on Saturday, July 27, expect a party unlike any in Murfreesboro before.
The popular fundraising event promises an evening of food and drink, music and laughter from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. At the center of the event is the Childress House, owned by Sandy Bayliss at 225 N. Academy St. Corporate sponsors and patrons of the event are invited to attend the Patrons’ Reception from 6 – 7 p.m. within the Childress House.
The Childress House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was originally built in the form of an I-house with Greek Revival influences in 1847. In 1874, John Childress remodeled the residence in the Italianate style. He was a prominent farmer and director of the Bank of Tennessee and the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. His sister Sarah married James Knox Polk, and Childress was active in his brother-in-law’s campaign for the 11th U.S. presidency.
Guests will be entertained by the Murfreesboro Symphony saxophone quartet from 7 – 10 p.m. off the front porch of the Childress House.
Of course, there can’t be a Taste of Rutherford without food! Signed up to share some of their best dishes are The Alley on Main, The Blue Porch, Boro Town Cakes, Carriage Lane Inn, City Café, Dallas & Jane/Alex Belew Catering, Goodness Gracious at the Mill, Hattie Jane’s Creamery, JoJo’s Fruit Tea, Marina’s on the Square, Milano II, Nonie’s Bakery, Puckett’s Gro. & Restaurant, Slick Pig, and The Tasty Table.
Attendees of the party will also have access to the Woman’s Club of Murfreesboro, at 221 E. College St., where members of the Rutherford Arts Alliance will be available to share artistic ideas and potential with party-goers. Some artists will also be displaying their creative works. Rutherford Arts Alliance is an independent, nonprofit advocacy group created to identify, unite and promote arts, culture and heritage throughout Rutherford County.
The Summer Party is your chance to support everything you love about Murfreesboro’s downtown.
The Main Street program annually brings to the community JazzFest, Friday Night Live, the Saturday Market, the Christmas Tree Lighting, Trick or Treat on the Square and so much more. Just $50 buys a delicious meal prepared by some of Rutherford County’s best chefs, an open bar and entertainment. It’s not too late to sign up to be a patron or corporate sponsor. Be a patron for $150 for two tickets, a bronze sponsor for $300 for four tickets, a silver sponsor for $500 for six tickets and a gold sponsor for $1,000 for 12 tickets. Your generosity will be noted on social media sites and signs at the event.
Make reservations for the party by calling the Main Street office at 615-895-1887 or by visiting www.downtownmurfreesboro.com. You may also pay at the door.
The Main Street Program is affiliated with the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s National Main Street Center and follows the tenets of that program. Main Street capitalizes on the unique character of the courthouse square and the surrounding business district with the goal of transforming it into the cultural, social, professional and retail center of Rutherford County … in essence, the hub of community life.
