Not Ready For Summer Concert Series Opener—

Bandshell Still In The Works For Dickinson Park

By Kendra Bobowick

A new bandshell to showcase musicians performing at this year’s Parks and Recreation 2012 Summer Concert Series is delayed, but still coming.

Although Parks & Recreation Director Amy Mangold had hoped to see the bandshell in place for the summer’s first concert, scheduled for Thursday, June 28, construction at the Elm Drive park may begin as soon as next week.

Like many projects on the recreation department’s to-do list this year, the bandshell — a project for Dickinson Park — is behind schedule due to a pair of storms last year: the late August storm that delayed the start of school in early September, followed in October by a freak blizzard that cancelled countless events, including the town’s unofficial Halloween celebration on Main Street. Both storms left behind significant tree and utility wire damage. Power was out throughout town for as long as one week in both cases.

“The winter really hurt us,” said Ms Mangold. “We were hit with storms during our nonbusy season,” and the cleanups occupied a great deal of time and effort.

“We do a lot of work in late winter and early spring before grooming begins —  this would have been an ideal winter for it too,” she said.

The recreation crews were dealing with storm damage and cleanups before they could work on other projects before the spring grooming season kicked in, she explained. “All our projects are a little set back.”

Once under way. “People will probably get to see progress of project” as they attend concerts from week to week, with the first performance June 28 to feature local jazz band Boplicity.

Band Shell Background

“We wanted to improve the [concert] experience and it’s in line with improving Dickinson Park,” Ms Mangold told The Bee in January. “It will provide shelter from the environment when bands perform.” A $15,000 item in the approved 2011-12 budget under concert series enhancements will cover the bandshell costs.

Ms Mangold started the summer concert series four years ago, when she took over as director of the department. The series, which is free to the public, “has been a success,” she said. “People love coming and having a picnic and music on beautiful summer evenings.”

The bandshell will sit beyond the skate park on the right at the lower entrance off Deep Brook Road. A small electrical house already exists there, which the bands use. Visitors gather on the lawn between the playground and the skate park. A concrete base is already in place, repurposed from an old lifeguard stand used when a swimming area had been at Dickinson. The final concert this season is scheduled for August 30.

“[The bandshell] will get done and will be great addition to the concert series,” Ms Mangold vowed this week.

Summer Concerts Schedule

Performances for the 2012 Newtown Parks & Recreation Summer Concert Series will all begin at 6:30. Concerts are all free of charge. Attendees need to bring their own seating, and picnics are welcome. Performances will end by 8 pm.

In the event of light rain, the concerts will be held under the pavilion. In the event of heavier rain, call Parks & Rec the afternoon of each concert (or check The Bee’s Facebook page and Twitter feeds for announcements) at 203-270-4340.

All concerts are Thursday evenings. The summer will continue with the following events: July 12, The Frank Porto Band, performing music of the 1930s and 40s; July 19, MacTalla Mor, a Celtic roots band made up entirely of members of the Ofgang family, who combine traditional bagpipes and Gaelic singing with modern music styles including, rock, blues, jazz, reggae, and hip hop; and July 26, The Impromptu Trio.

Also, August 2, The T.J. Tomlin Dixieland All-Stars, with New Orleans style jazz; August 9, Erica Howard & Midnight Rodeo Band, country music; August 16, Redstone Ridge, with contemporary bluegrass, folk and Americana; August 23, The Manny Pavone Group, with blues, country and southern rock; and August 30, My Dad’s Truck, “a group of acoustic players with diverse backgrounds ranging from porch playing to classical performance … [who] draw their musical selections from the best songs of the last 600 years, and perform them with a vigorous and contemporary edge,” according to the band’s website.