This summer, the Downtown Auburn Business Improvement District
(BID) has been hosting the Downtown Auburn Summer Concert Series. Free outdoor public concerts begin at 7 p.m. every Wednesday.
If you were not able to make it out to the July concerts, which were held on the State Street Mall in downtown Auburn, you missed a great time.
On July 16, the series started with a bang as the Mario DeSantis Orchestra entertained a crowd of more than 160 with big band tunes that had people dancing in the streets.
This show was sponsored by Wegmans, First Niagara Bank and the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).
Despite threats of thunderstorms, the rains held off the following week. Those that came out were rewarded as Dan Duggan and friends entertained concert-goers with traditional maritime and Irish songs as well as some original compositions. Duggan, a recipient of the National Hammered Dulcimer Championship, showed his skill with that instrument; Tom Hodgson played the guitar, and, Henry Jankiewicz was on the fiddle. This show was sponsored by the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center.
On July 30, Teenager performed. This critically acclaimed local favorite, a finalist for the 2008 people's choice SAMMY award, came with its selection of original rock 'n' roll tunes and did not disappoint. This show was sponsored by the City of Auburn.
If you missed any of these performances, do not fret. There are plenty more concerts planned.
In August, the venue shifts to Market Street Park where four more shows will be held.
On Aug. 6, Dave Hanlon's Cookbook will perform. This highly talented and versatile band continues to win over new fans and keep existing ones coming back with their high energy rhythm & blues dance-oriented presentation. The group won the 2004 SAMMY for best Rhythm & Blues CD. This show is sponsored by NUCOR Steel.
On Aug. 13, the Kevin Dorsey Collective, a multi-SAMMY award-winning group, will perform original music combining jazz harmony with world music and other genres. This show is sponsored entirely by NYSCA.
The Barrigar Brothers will perform Aug. 20. At age 6, Loren Barrigar was the youngest person to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. In the decades since, he has toured around the country and written songs recorded by BB King and Patti LaBelle among others.
Kevin Barrigar has also toured around the country with several bands and has performed with Australian fingerstyle guitarist Tommy Emmanuel and GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter Tommi Hendrix. Their show is sponsored by Wegmans.
The series concludes with an Aug. 27 concert at Market Street Park by the students of local favorite Bob Piorun. These musicians typically perform at the music workshops that are held on Thursday nights in the spring at the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center.
They are excited to get together to perform in this public concert, which is sponsored by the BID.
The entire series was made possible in part by public funding that the BID recently received from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Decentralization Program, which is administered locally by the Phelps Arts Center and the Phelps Historical Society.
In addition to the concerts, the Red Cross will be on hand each night selling hot dogs, drinks and other concessions. Poppy's Ice Cream truck will also be there if you want a cool treat.
So, bring your own chair, and plan on spending your Wednesday nights this August in beautiful downtown Auburn. It's free. It's fun. And, it's all downtown - a place to make memories once again.
Dan Schuster is the executive director of BID. Reach him at the BID office at 252-7874
If you were not able to make it out to the July concerts, which were held on the State Street Mall in downtown Auburn, you missed a great time.
On July 16, the series started with a bang as the Mario DeSantis Orchestra entertained a crowd of more than 160 with big band tunes that had people dancing in the streets.
This show was sponsored by Wegmans, First Niagara Bank and the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA).
Despite threats of thunderstorms, the rains held off the following week. Those that came out were rewarded as Dan Duggan and friends entertained concert-goers with traditional maritime and Irish songs as well as some original compositions. Duggan, a recipient of the National Hammered Dulcimer Championship, showed his skill with that instrument; Tom Hodgson played the guitar, and, Henry Jankiewicz was on the fiddle. This show was sponsored by the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center.
On July 30, Teenager performed. This critically acclaimed local favorite, a finalist for the 2008 people's choice SAMMY award, came with its selection of original rock 'n' roll tunes and did not disappoint. This show was sponsored by the City of Auburn.
If you missed any of these performances, do not fret. There are plenty more concerts planned.
In August, the venue shifts to Market Street Park where four more shows will be held.
On Aug. 6, Dave Hanlon's Cookbook will perform. This highly talented and versatile band continues to win over new fans and keep existing ones coming back with their high energy rhythm & blues dance-oriented presentation. The group won the 2004 SAMMY for best Rhythm & Blues CD. This show is sponsored by NUCOR Steel.
On Aug. 13, the Kevin Dorsey Collective, a multi-SAMMY award-winning group, will perform original music combining jazz harmony with world music and other genres. This show is sponsored entirely by NYSCA.
The Barrigar Brothers will perform Aug. 20. At age 6, Loren Barrigar was the youngest person to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. In the decades since, he has toured around the country and written songs recorded by BB King and Patti LaBelle among others.
Kevin Barrigar has also toured around the country with several bands and has performed with Australian fingerstyle guitarist Tommy Emmanuel and GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter Tommi Hendrix. Their show is sponsored by Wegmans.
The series concludes with an Aug. 27 concert at Market Street Park by the students of local favorite Bob Piorun. These musicians typically perform at the music workshops that are held on Thursday nights in the spring at the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center.
They are excited to get together to perform in this public concert, which is sponsored by the BID.
The entire series was made possible in part by public funding that the BID recently received from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Decentralization Program, which is administered locally by the Phelps Arts Center and the Phelps Historical Society.
In addition to the concerts, the Red Cross will be on hand each night selling hot dogs, drinks and other concessions. Poppy's Ice Cream truck will also be there if you want a cool treat.
So, bring your own chair, and plan on spending your Wednesday nights this August in beautiful downtown Auburn. It's free. It's fun. And, it's all downtown - a place to make memories once again.
Dan Schuster is the executive director of BID. Reach him at the BID office at 252-7874
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