{"id":64051,"date":"2015-05-19T21:33:05","date_gmt":"2015-05-20T02:33:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=64051"},"modified":"2015-05-19T21:33:05","modified_gmt":"2015-05-20T02:33:05","slug":"let-the-summer-music-fun-begin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2015\/05\/19\/let-the-summer-music-fun-begin\/","title":{"rendered":"Let the summer music fun begin!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since 2002, The Van Wert County Foundation has been providing free concerts in Fountain Park for everyone to enjoy.\u00a0 Now, we are embarking on our 14th season of what we call the Fountain Park Summer Music Series.<\/p>\n

I remember the first season.\u00a0 I had been on the job as coordinator of performing arts for The Van Wert County Foundation for about five months.\u00a0We had no idea of whether people would want to come to outdoor concerts on a regular basis.\u00a0The Foundation was willing to give it a try and entrust me to put a series together.<\/p>\n

The very first concert featured the Kettering Banjo Society. I thought a few people might get a kick out of hearing a bunch of banjo players and a tuba come up from Kettering, Ohio, and play some old time music in the park.\u00a0Wow!\u00a0 I guess I underestimated the interest.\u00a0There must have been 500 people in the park for that inaugural concert.\u00a0I remember the comment a friend made of how cool it was to sit outside, relax under the stars and listen to good music.\u00a0I guess it caught on and took hold.<\/p>\n

Since then, we have all enjoyed over a hundred concerts and are looking forward to a new slate starting in just a few weeks.\u00a0As has been the tradition for the past several years, we will launch our first Fountain Park concert with the Peony and ArtRageous Festivals on Friday night, June 5.\u00a0One of the biggest named bands of all time will perform in Fountain Park: Ambrosia.\u00a0 If you are like me, you probably couldn\u2019t name too many songs they ever sang, but once you hear them, you will immediately recall them with fondness.<\/p>\n

If you grew up in the 1970s and \u201880s listening to the radio (that\u2019s what we used to listen to when we wanted to know what was popular), then you heard Ambrosia all the time.\u00a0 As a matter of fact, even today when I am in restaurants and other places of business where music is being played, I hear Ambrosia songs.\u00a0Just to jog your memory, here are a few titles: \u201cHow Much I Feel,\u201d \u201cBiggest Part of Me,\u201d and \u201cYou\u2019re the Only Woman.\u201d\u00a0Some of the other groups Ambrosia either played for or toured with are like a \u201cWho\u2019s Who\u201d of rock music: Alan Parsons, Fleetwood Mac, Heart, and the Doobie Brothers.\u00a0 That\u2019s pretty good company!<\/p>\n

Well, that\u2019s who we open the Fountain Park Summer Music Series with this year.\u00a0Remember, all our summer concerts begin at 7 p.m.\u00a0 As with other years, this opening weekend will be filled with all kinds of food vendors, craft vendors and artisans in and about the park, not to even mention the Peony Festival Committee will be serving food from the Rotary concession stand.\u00a0It will be a lively and fun time as we open the summer in Fountain Park.<\/p>\n

If you see a Van Wert County Foundation trustee, let them know you appreciate these free concerts made possible with funds from the Saltzgaber Music Fund.\u00a0The cooperation we receive from the City Parks and Recreation Department is appreciated, as is the fine work of the Evergreen Garden Club.<\/p>\n

Here is the rest of the line-up for this summer in Fountain Park:<\/p>\n