Bridging the gap from PAC to park

We are getting to the point where the Niswonger Performing Arts Center season is coming to an end, at least as far as our scheduled performances are concerned. It would be easy to think that late April and the month of May are times of inactivity at the PAC. Our final scheduled concert of this season is Bostyx on April 21. It will be a great concert to finish the season, but we will actually be quite busy after that point.

There are many concerts and events during this time that actually bring thousands of people to the Niswonger, many who have not yet been there before. The Van Wert High School Drama Department is presenting Mary Poppins, its spring musical, on April 12, 13, and 14. I understand it will be quite a production. Tickets are available at the Niswonger box office.

The Van Wert bands and choirs are also preparing for spring concerts, which will all occur in the Niswonger Music Hall.

Once we hit the month of May, dance recitals that draw thousands of locals and visitors to Van Wert take over the weekends. This year, Kim Hohman’s DanceWorks of Van Wert, Kristina’s Dance Escape from St. Marys, and (new to the Niswonger this year) the Boyd Dance Studio from New Bremen will bring thousands of first-time visitors to town.

Meanwhile, my staff is running these events while I am busy working on a new season and planning for summer concerts in Fountain Park. Our marketing team is putting together sponsors who wish to team with the Niswonger and learn about the new artists coming in 2018-19. They are also busy selling memberships for those interested in supporting and receiving Niswonger benefits.

This aptly bridges the gap from PAC to Fountain Park, which kicks off Friday, June 1, with Phil Dirt & the Dozers as part of the Peony Festival. Then it’s on to most Fridays in Fountain Park with exciting entertainment, music, food and fun!  The full line-up of Fountain Park concerts is available at vanwertcountyfoundation.org.  Look under the heading “Impact” and click on “arts” for a full lineup and description of each concert. Brochures and posters are also available at The Foundation office, 138 E. Main St., as well as the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.

Food vendors have been selected for the Fountain Park concerts and they will be notified and making their selection of concert in the near future.  Hopefully, we won’t need to be shoveling snow from the park by the time we get started!

I want to mention one last event that will be occurring at the Niswonger on April 15 at 7 p.m.  Former Major League Baseball star Darryl Strawberry will be a featured speaker at the Epidemic of Hope event sponsored by the Ohio Attorney General’s office, the Van Wert Ministerial Association, and the Niswonger PAC.

Strawberry and his wife, Tracy, have traveled the country telling his story of overcoming drug addiction that ended his once brilliant baseball career. Free tickets for the event are available at the box office as well as participating churches. We all know of the terrible opioid crisis that our country and especially Ohio has been affected by. It is the hope that Darryl Strawberry’s story will have a positive impact on especially the youth of our area.

Everyone is welcome to attend this event on April 15 at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m.  There will be other events occurring throughout the Van Wert, Paulding, and Mercer County area, leading up to the Niswonger event. It is a pleasure to use our facility to help make our community a better place for everyone to live, raise families, and be entertained in safe environments.

FINÉ.