The Van Wert County Courthouse

Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024

Time to think of Fountain Park music

Well, we can’t seem to get into spring, so let’s try jumping right into summer! The Van Wert County Foundation sponsored Fountain Park Summer Music Series is all set.  Plans for eight fun and exciting concerts are being made to go with two Van Wert Community Concert Band concerts.  Friday nights will light up Fountain Park once again for the 17th consecutive year. It really is hard to believe that an entire generation of young people has been gathering in Fountain Park for fun and music on Friday nights for as long as they can remember.

This year, we welcome old friends back to Van Wert as Phil Dirt & the Dozers return to kick off the season and take part in the Peony Festival activities. It’s been five years since the Dozers have entertained a Fountain Park audience in Van Wert. They continue to make great music and provide an amazingly fun time for music lovers around the country. They re-create some of the very best of classic rock and roll music over the past several decades. This concert will be on a sunny and balmy June 1 in Fountain Park.  You can expect a huge crowd with many food vendors and activities surrounding the park.  The Peony committee will be serving food and drinks in the Rotary concession booth.

After a week off, we welcome Endless Summer Band on June 15. This is a band I have been trying to get back to Fountain Park for some time following their enormously popular debut in 2010.  They hail from Indianapolis and were voted the No. 1 party band as “Best Music in Indiana!”  They are very popular at wedding receptions and festivals throughout not only the Midwest, but the entire U.S.  I added a horn section to allow the band to expand their repertoire with everything from Sinatra to Chicago to Bruno Mars. Food will be provided by the Van Wert Eastern Star District.

For those who are fans of Southern Gospel and Christian Country music, we are bringing two popular groups to the park on June 22. The Tacketts, starring Van Wert native and former Miss Ohio, Sarah (Evans) Tackett will lead off the concert with an hour of their style of Country Gospel which has taken them to the stage of the Grand Ole’ Opry in Nashville just last year. After an intermission, The Kingsmen Quartet will take the stage to provide their flavor of Southern Gospel music.  Over the years, this quartet from the mountains of western North Carolina has become one of the most beloved and innovative groups in Christian music. Portal 220 ministry will appropriately serve food this night.

Our Independence Day celebration of America concert with the Lima Symphony Pops Orchestra will be on June 29. It will be a few days before most start celebrating the July 4 holiday, but you can bet Maestro Crafton Beck will pull out all the stops as this may be his swan song with the symphony in Fountain Park as he announced his retirement from the Lima Symphony following the 2018-19 season.  This is always a popular concert filled with all types of pop music as well as patriotic tunes to stir your soul.  The Van Wert Cattlemen’s Association will be grilling in the park for your dining pleasure.

This takes us to the half-way point of the summer. I will pick up here next week to feature the rest of our concerts in Fountain Park. Don’t forget that there is a new audience view in the park as we removed the slope in the middle to hopefully increase the experience for all audience members.  We hope you enjoy it!

I also want to mention that the Van Wert Area Community Concert Band under the direction of Richard Sherrick will warm you up to our Van Wert County Foundation sponsored concerts by presenting their first concert of the season on Friday, May 25.

All concerts begin at 7 p.m. and are in cooperation with the Van Wert City Parks & Recreation. Food is normally ready by 5:30 p.m. for you to enjoy while visiting with friends and neighbors you haven’t see all winter long. Help us spread the word to all. Full descriptions can be found at the websites of The Van Wert County Foundation, Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Main Street Van Wert and the City Parks & Recreation. So, it’s easy for your out-of-town friends to check us out too.  Brochures are also available at many local businesses.

I hope this brings sunshine and warmth to all of you.  We could all use it!

FINÉ.

POSTED: 04/27/18 at 8:39 am. FILED UNDER: News