The third Pinehurst Live After 5 event in the village of Pinehurst, set for Thursday, Aug. 18, from 5 to 9 p.m., will feature the nine-piece Swing Street Band.

Although they primarily perform for private events such as corporate meetings, country clubs and fundraising events, Swing Street has also developed a following at several public events in the Pinehurst area over the last few years.

Swing Street is a swing and pop band based in central North Carolina. The members of Swing Street are all professional musicians and/or music teachers/professors from the Triangle and Sandhills regions of North Carolina.

For dancing, the band plays a cross- generational mix of big band jazz, old time rock 'n' roll, jump swing, beach music, Rat Pack tunes, pop standards and other horn-driven party music.

However, with a roster of strong sight-reading musicians, the band is also hired to play backup for various shows in the region.

The Swing Street Band was born in Chicago in the late 1970s, honed in Minneapolis through the 1980s and 1990s, and is now based in Southern Pines and Raleigh.

In Minneapolis, the band was the featured entertainment for seven years at New Year's at the River, an outdoor celebration that drew audiences up to 60,000 people and was covered nationally on NBC News.

In North Carolina, Swing Street has played for events as small as weddings and private yard parties and as large as major civic festivals and fundraisers. They have been repeatedly featured at major events such as Duke University's "Night Of Duke Stars" awards programs and the Raleigh Capital City Club's Big Bad Ball, benefiting Hospice of Wake County.

In addition, since becoming based in the Carolina Sandhills, the band has produced and been featured at "An Affair of the Arts: Dinner, Dance and Cabaret" as part of the Palustris Arts Festival, and has performed as the featured entertainment at three annual Knights of Columbus variety shows to benefit at-risk children in Moore County Schools.

"Swing Street is the biggest group we've ever had at Live After 5, and we're very lucky to have such a great band playing at our next event," says event coordinator Scott Lincicome. "We're praying for good weather and hope that all the music lovers and dancers in the area will bring their lawn chairs and come out for a truly great summer party."

Prior to the event, warm-up music will be provided by talented young guitarist, Ethan Schneiderman and then the Swing Street Band will kick off the street dance fun.

Admission is free. Beer and wine will be available for sale, as well as food items from local vendors.

Proceeds of the event benefit the local chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Pinehurst Live After 5 is presented by the Pinehurst Business Guild and sponsored by The Pilot; HSP Realty Group; Star 102.5 FM; AME Golf; Internet Consulting and Marketing; Cool Sweats; Sandhills Signs; Mellow Mushroom; Lava Heat; Cameron and Co.; The Red Door Cafe; The Villager; Gentlemen's Corner; Scott Lincicome Realty; and The Bunker.