Music is in the air
July 27th, 2008
Throughout the Shenandoah Valley, there are a variety of ways to sample the sounds of local musicians.
In Edinburg, the Chamber of Commerce sponsors a Sunday afternoon concert periodically. In Mount Jackson, The Art Group has a raucous First Friday jam session at their gallery on Main Street. And, of course, I have already written about the wonderful, professional fare you can enjoy at the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival - (we already have tickets for Ricky Skaggs.)
In Woodstock, we have Music on Main. In 2001, when I was still working for the local weekly newspaper, I helped convince the owner of the newspaper to allow the town of Woodstock to build a “pocket park” on a lot adjacent to the newspaper.
An old house located on that lot had been torn down a few years earlier and it was just green space. I am not taking credit for the idea. The town came up with the idea, but I immediately supported it and, I’m happy to say, my boss did too.
Over a period of several months, the Main Street Park came into existence. The landscaping is well-established now and it has certainly become a welcome addition to the town. I still eagerly anticipate the blooming of various plants, shrubs and trees. And at Christmas I always enjoy the whimsical decorations that appear to be from a child’s toy chest.
But what I enjoy most are the four or five concerts held in the park in the summertime. One is coming up on Friday, Aug. 1. And while I will be out of town celebrating my Mom’s birthday, I encourage you to come by and give a listen.
The concerts start at 7 p.m. and last until 9. There is no admission fee charged and there is always some sweet treat sponsored by a local business or organization - usually cookies and lemonade, something like that.
The park setting is just terrific. Framed by white gazebos, the lovely lawn begs for a blanket to enjoy a picnic with friends and family. The crowds are never too big - I think the biggest may have been 350 for Robbie Limon who has a very strong local following - usually around 200. So there is plenty of room for everyone with feeling like you are at a Dave Matthews concert.
The atmosphere is lovely. Once the concert starts, you can barely hear the traffic going by on Main Street (which is US 11, so there is always plenty of traffic).
The Instigators will play this Friday. They are a group of local artists who have day jobs like car dealership owner, Sprint store manager and web developer. The important information is that they are really good and play a touch of everything.
The band that is playing in September on Friday, Sept. 5 is one I have not heard and am looking forward to. The Sweet Dixie Band is supposed to be a terrific bluegrass band. You can look them up on the Web and even hear their music.
If you are interested in the Music On Main concerts or the other concerts, you can find listings for upcoming events on www.shenandoah.com as well as other Valley tourism sites. The small town flavor adds charm to the exciting sounds of live artists. It’s a summertime treat you just don’t want to miss!