By Mark Hansel
NKy Tribune Managing Editor
There will be plenty of music in Boone County this summer thanks to the collaborative efforts of two county agencies.
The Boone County Parks Department and the Boone County Public Library have combined to expand the Concert at Creekside series of live concerts in area parks.
Many of the shows will take place at Boone Woods Park, but the series has expanded to include shows in Walton, Petersburg and Union.
The parks department has offered outdoor concerts for years and the library had a series as well but its events have outgrown the indoor venue.
“It is completely free and you do not have to be a Boone County resident or a library card holder to enjoy an evening of music,” Shaun Davidson, adult programmer at the Boone County Public Library, said.
Jackie Heyenbruch, marketing and resources coordinator for Boone County Parks said people eagerly await the posting of the concert schedule each year.
“One of our main goals is to meet all of the needs of the community,” Heyenbruch said. “This is such a good way to get people out and into the park and it’s family friendly so any age can come.”
There will be two concerts at Boone Woods each month through August.
New this year is Concerts at Creekside on the Road which takes the series into other Boone County communities.
Mark Cormican will perform the music of John Denver, as well as some original compositions, at Central Park and Arboretum in Union, June 20.
“We’ve gone outside of this general area to provide opportunities for more people,” Heyenbruch said. “We’ve also added some new genres and it’s changed up a bit.”
The River Cats will play at the Petersburg Community Center in July and the Wulfe Brothers will be at Walton Community Park in August.
This will be the fourth year for the collaboration and the concert series has gained in popularity each season.
“We’ve had crowds of close to 1,500 for some of our bigger concerts,” Davidson said. “The highlight for me is Forever Diamond. They put on a great show last year and they are only performing one weekend show this year and they picked Boone County because they really wanted to come back.
The band will perform all of Diamond’s biggest hits, including “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “Kentucky Woman,” and “Sweet Caroline.”
Forever Diamond keyboardist Faye Smith said the band’s shows appeal to a wide variety of people.
“Neil Diamond fans today span several generations, so we see grandparents bring their children and grandchildren to our shows, and all of them know all of the words to every song,” Smith said.
In the event of inclement weather, if there is sufficient warning, the concerts will be moved to an indoor venue. Davidson said bad weather reduces attendance, so there will be plenty of space to accommodate an indoor crowd.
Kona Ice has become a fixture at the shows and, guests are encouraged to bring their own food, beverages, blankets and lawn chairs. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted.
All concerts take place on Saturday nights, except for the River Cats show in Petersburg, which is on Friday, July 17. Shows begin at 7 p.m.
For more information or for a complete schedule of shows, contact the Boone County Parks Department or the Boone County Public Library.