Tucked away on 2nd Avenue in St. Charles, just steps from the hustle of Main Street, lies a unique venue that blends local history with modern entertainment: Moonlight Theatre.

It’s interesting — since I frequently feature Moonlight events in this newsletter, people ask me about it from time to time. Where is it? Have you been there? How long has it been around?

On the other hand, folks who have attended a show tend to simply rave about it. There’s almost no in between.

Housed in the historic Idle Hour Theatre building, the Moonlight Theatre offers an intimate entertainment experience that feels like a step back in time.

Originally constructed around 1900, the venue opened as the Idle Hour Theatre in 1914, treating audiences to vaudeville acts, silent films and other performances popular at the time. The theatre closed in 1926, and nearly a century passed before St. Charles granted the building landmark status in 2022.

Over the decades, it served various purposes before being lovingly restored to its former glory by a group of passionate local owners.

Visit the venue

If you haven’t yet checked it out, the holiday season is an ideal time with plenty of shows to choose from.

Recommendation: Coming up on December 8 is the 2nd Annual Ryan Carney & Friends Holiday Special, a family-friendly matinee featuring performances from local musicians like New Vintage Strings Quartet, Shannon Adams (piano), Dave Ramont (guitar/banjo) and the Noah Gabriel Trio…plus an additional surprise or two, I’m sure.

They’ve got a full bar and food for purchase, so you’re all set there. Just bring a festive attitude and your best dance moves.

📖 Thanks for reading

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