Meet John Moultrie! John is a former award winning chef and restauranteur turned music entrepreneur. John is the founder of Live Music Matters nonprofit which produces several music, brew, wine and food festivals in Southwestern Michigan and Northwest Indiana. John continues to champion his love of music weekly as iRock Jazz radio host on NPR station 88.1 FM WVPE.
What brought you to the dunes? Michigan City is on the upswing and is quickly becoming a place that embraces, cultivates, and encourages artistic expression. The city’s new slogan “Create. Play. Repeat.” really speaks to what we are doing with our music festivals.
Part of the beauty of live music is that every experience is unique. You will never see the same live performance twice. Our music festival provides a communal musical experience that shapes and is shaped by, the response of the crowd. It seems to fitting to have the dunes as the back drop to the Lighthouse Jazz Festival. Like live music, the beauty of the dunes is constantly changing. Every time you visit, you discover something new.
How long have you lived here? I have lived in the area for almost 20 years.
What is your favorite thing to do in the area? The area has so muh to offer it is hard to narrow it down to one favorite thing. I was drawn to the area because of the beautiful beaches and I try to spend as much time as possible on the lakeshore enjoying the breathtaking views.
Tell us a secret about the dunes There are real hidden treasures in the dunes! Geocaching is a real-world treasure hunting game that uses GPS-enabled devices to help participants find hidden geocache treasures. The Indiana Dunes State Park hosts geocaching adventures. There are dozens of hidden treasures in the dunes and the treasure hunts provide a unique way to explore the dunes.
Give us your top three “hidden treasures” (restaurant, shop, trail, beach, event…really anything!)
a) Millennium Plaza is a treasure hidden in plain site along Trail Creek. It provides a great place to fish, see the draw bridge in action, or just relax. There is a beatiful fountain and the plaza is overlooked by the lighthouse.
b) Pinhook Bog is a National Natural Landmark on a hidden lake in the Indiana Dunes. During a hike along the Pinhook Bog trail you might encounter a few carnivorous plants.
What would you like to teach people about the dunes? The dunes are more than just piles of sand. They are the most extensive geologic records of one of the world’s largest, fresh water bodies. The perfect getaway adventure, they provide a great setting for you to make memories.
Anything else? Live Music Matters is pleased to present the inaugural Lighthouse Jazz Festival on July 9 in Michigan City’s lakefront Guy Foreman Amphitheatre, located inside historic Washington Park. The one-day festival features live music by top jazz artists, craft beers and wine, local cuisine, interactive activities for children and more.
The Lighthouse Jazz Festival kicks off at 11 a.m. and runs until 10 p.m. Tickets for this unique entertainment experience are now on sale at http://j.mp/lighthousejazz
Live Music Matters gives people access to live arts in terms of those whose works and artistic voices are represented on stage and the role these experiences can play bringing a community together. Their festivals attract people from multi-states and are all very eclectic in terms of diversity, interactive activities, music, food and venues.
You can learn about more of our neighbors, right here!