Blockbuster finale in Fountain Park
This Friday night concludes our 2012 Summer Music in Fountain Park, sponsored by The Van Wert County Foundation. And as we did last year, we are going out in grand fashion!
We start with music from one of the most popular rock/jazz bands of all-time- Chicago. Brass Transit is a tribute band that so accurately recreates the top hits of this superstar band that you may think they have appeared in Fountain Park.
Dennis Gomes, owner/CEO of Resorts Casino in Atlantic City, says of Brass Transit: “Truly amazing, outstanding musicianship! One of the best shows I have seen in a very long time!” And six-time Grammy Award-winning record producer Joe Donofrio says: “This is not just a tribute band, it is THE Chicago experience!”
Complete with keyboard, vocals, drums, bass, guitar, and a dynamic, virtuosic horn line of sax, trumpet and trombone, Brass Transit may just be the hit of the summer, although there have been many.
In case you have managed to skip the past 40 years of (what I call) sophisticated popular music, songs you may expect to hear will be: “25 or 6 to 4”, “Saturday in the Park”, “Does Anybody Really Know what Time it Is?”, “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day”, and so much more! Chicago has always been one of my favorite bands because of their music, and I look for Brass Transit to deliver a great concert as we conclude 2012 in Fountain Park for the summer.
The concert starts at our traditional Fountain Park time of 7 p.m. So bring your lawn chairs and blankets, or just mull around the park and take in some of the sounds of the summer with all the great Chicago hits.
Immediately following the concert, a huge inflatable screen will once again be blown up and we will be showing the blockbuster Pixar/Disney movie, Toy Story 3. Released in the summer of 2010, it became the highest grossing film of that entire year. Woody, Buzz Lightyear and their friends will come to life on the big screen and the action will be exhilarating with our dynamic sound system and huge outdoor screen. Although it is easy to think of this 3-D animated film as a kid’s movie (and it is!), so many of the references and toys which come to life in this movie relate to those of us baby boomers show played with them and our parents who bought them for us. So really, it hits home to all generations!
We will start the movie right after the concert and immediately following a four minute preview of the 2012-13 Niswonger PAC season. Popcorn and refreshments will be available throughout the movie as we make this Friday one of the most enjoyable nights of the summer!
We have all enjoyed the beauty of Fountain Park again this summer and I want to thank and congratulate the members of the Evergreen Garden Club for their fine volunteer work once again. According to co-chair Diane Ryan; 60 geraniums were planted at the flag pole, 18 hanging planters hung, annuals were planted around the gazebo and four large planters were planted on the stage area. They were able to do all this work because of a generous donation from the Dayton Foundation in memory of past member, Joan Jones. Mrs. Jones would be pleased of her daughter Dian Ryan’s participation and the beauty of the park. For nine years, these volunteer members have been beautifying Fountain Park and I just thought you should know about it!
And now just hot off the press, the Van Wert Rotary Club voted to use proceeds from this year’s auction to provide more enhancements to Fountain Park. So get ready for some new additions to the park next year. Thanks (again) Rotary!
You might want to come a little early Friday night as Phi Beta Psi will be serving up some delicious food before and during the concert. You will also notice some vendors selling garage sale items. They will be located on Jefferson Street actually beginning Thursday, and continuing Friday and Saturday. If you want some real bargains and didn’t get your fill of last weekend’s Highway 127 Yard Sale, then you might want to check them out. This is sponsored by the Main Street Van Wert organization.
Whew! I guess you can learn a lot reading this column. You better tell your friends to read “Music in Van Wert” to find out what’s going on around this town! See you Friday night.
FINÉ.
POSTED: 08/07/12 at 4:17 pm. FILED UNDER: News