Cool music in the courtyard during the summer

If you’re looking for something free and fun to do on a Saturday afternoon in Placerville and enjoy music, look no further than the Courtyard.

Located at 312 Main St. in downtown Placerville, Music in the Courtyard, has been entertaining young and old alike for many years and organizers are looking forward to continuing the legacy for years to come.

“It actually started about 25 years ago as Jazz in the Plaza by a jazz musician but I took it over about 12 years ago and renamed it Music in the Courtyard because I couldn’t find enough jazz musicians,” said Sara Young, coordinator.

“It’s every other Saturday as far as we can book it. If there’s a Placerville Downtown Association happening, we skip that Saturday. But it is at least two concerts a month from June to October,” Young said.

Young added booking entertainment for the concerts was hard at first but now, performing groups are calling her for show spots.

“I get the money to pay the bands from businesses downtown — they’re sponsors and they put their ads in the program,” she said. “I have posters all over town with names of the sponsors and that’s how I pay for the entertainers. I also have people who like the live music and they can give me whatever money they want and they’re listed in the programs. I have some businesses in town that give gift certificates and we have a drawing at the first break. And we give away gift certificates from downtown businesses, also.”

Over the years, Young has seen attendance to the concerts increase and on any given Saturday, there might be as many as 70 people listening to the music.

“Some come and go and some stay for the whole thing and grab a lunch and a glass of wine or a gelato,” she said. “There are probably close to 70, and probably 50 of them stay the whole time.”

The concerts are held from 1 to 4 p.m. and feature different types of musical styles ranging from reggae to country.

“We’ve had Late for Dinner, a very popular reggae band and then we have Aftershock — everybody loves Aftershock,” Young said. “We’ve also had Frankie Soul who’s blues and Johnny Mojo. It’s pretty much blues, jazz, jazz funk and classic rock.”

But it’s not just the music that draws people to the courtyard, there is food as well, including Zia’s, the Courtyard Deli and Dedrick’s Main Street Cheese.

For Young the shows are a way for people to unwind.

“Come to the beautiful courtyard where it’s cool in the summertime and listen to live music, have lunch and a glass of wine or a beer and enjoy your Saturday afternoon.” she said.

For more information call Young at 530-622-4900.