As early as January the Arts in the Park Board was meeting to select bands and kick around ideas to improve the 2016 season. This year the focus is on youth participation. The La Porte High School Choral and New Prarie High School Jazz band will be featured early in June. Youth Art will be displayed in June. There will also be a Slicer Night and a pre-concert show by LPHS Marching Band. Student volunteers will be helping with the concessions, including Popeye’s Poppin’ in the Park, renamed in memory of Bill Wolf, co-founder of Arts in the Park.
Local artist Dave Russell has done a caricature of Bill Wolf that will be on display, so check that out. Russell and Rob Prellwitz will be available one night to do caricatures on-site as a fund raiser for Arts in the Park. Other local artists, such as Clinton Worthington, Mallory Griffith, Dorothy Konieczny, Ken Baker, Karen Marker, Kitty Wolf, and Sierra Mullins will display their works. If you’ve ever thought “Wine and Canvas” sounded like fun, public participation is encouraged for a pre-concert “Parks and Canvas” night with Dori Huber. Watch for sign-up information.
Pre-concert will also include poetry or literature performances. Patrick Watterson returns with pre-concert music. Also appearing in the pre-concert spotlight are Driven by Leisure -Trevor McDonald, Matt Winters, The Code Names, and Miranda Steele. Other pre-concert activities will include ballroom dance instruction with Patty Kolvek of Dance Sophisticates and Zumba on the beach with Tom Coe before the highly popular Cripple Creek Stone Lake Beach Concert on June 30.
Feature bands include crowd favorites as The Henhouse Prowlers, Tom Milo Big Band, Elwood Splinters Blues Band, Dr. Groovy & the Soul Surgeons, Windiana, Me & the Boys, and Middle of the Road are joined by bands new to our park such as The Bare Facts, Kashimir – a Led Zeppelin tribute band, 80’s Enough, and The Assembly of God Praise Team. Local Singer/Songwriters James Neary and Alan Barcus will be featured one night and Hoosier Stars another.
Sharing the outdoor Dennis E. Smith Amphitheater is the La Porte City Band which performs every Wednesday from June 8 through August 10th thanks to the generosity of the City of La Porte.
All this and more starts June 1 at 6:15 pm, feature bands play 7 pm. Check out the attached schedule or go to http://www.artsintheparklaporte.com for more information, to become a part by volunteering, or to donate.
As always, the concerts are free. The parking is free. The seating is free. What a gift! Come and enjoy. Clip and save the concert schedule or mark your calendars. Plan a date night or a family and friends get together. It’s time worth spent in beautiful Fox Park on Truesdell Avenue, overlooking Clear Lake in La Porte. Did I mention it’s free?
Remember these high quality nights are only free by the generosity underwriters, patrons, and donors. You, too, can have a part in bringing great performances to La Porte by participating in the various fund raisers put on by Arts in the Parks from concessions, T-shirt sales, Park and Canvas, caricatures, prize raffles and restaurant give back nights. All proceeds help enhance the park and concert experience. Bands are paid. New benches added and even plans for a restroom/changing area are in the works.
Yes, Arts in the Park is looking to be one smoking hot season, perhaps the best ever, thanks to board members Sandy Gleim, Jon Howes, John Langford, Dale Parkison, Marilyn Savich, Lisa Smithson, Dick Weber, Bill & Kitty Wolf and General Committee Members Mary Allen, Jamie Biggerstaff, Nanda Danitschek, Vicki Kelver, Carol Loveless, Sierra Mullican, Rob Prellwitz, Dave Russell, Scott Simerlein, MaryKay Steele, Gloria & Paul Thode, Sandee Tonsoni, Patrick Waterson
