Music lovers have six Friday night concerts in the park to look forward to this summer. That’s two more than last year, when the series was successfully initiated on the city’s new portable stage by the Arts and Culture Committee of the Annandale Area Community Team. Here’s the schedule of performances, all at 7 p.m in Annandale Municipal Park: — June 9, Buffalo Community Orchestra, sponsored by Sassy’s Salon & Spa — June 23, Paramount Jazz Orchestra — July 21, Mister Jim, sponsored by Stumpf Acoustics — July 28, Orange Whip — Aug. 11, Timothy Berry and Friends, sponsored by Star Bank and Anchor Dock & Lift — Aug. 18, Annandale Community Band, sponsored by the Snooty Fox Gallery The inaugural series of concerts last summer was well attended and people enjoyed the atmosphere, concert director Dawn Schaefer Stumpf said. Some concerts drew 50 to 100 people, while the big hit was Orange Whip, which attracted 400 or more. “There was a lot of interest,” Stumpf said, “a lot of positive feedback that (the series) was a little too short.” The move to six concerts was also in line with one of the committee’s goals: to offer a variety of different musical styles. “With six it’s a little bit more of a well-rounded series,” she said. The concerts will take place in the same location as last year, the north end of the park near Pleasant Lake and just west of Main Street, where the portable stage will be parked. “If it rains this year the show goes on,” Stumpf said. Most likely the performance would be shifted to the pavilion to keep it in the park, or to the Performing Arts Center at Annandale High School. The portable performance stage, acquired by the committee from the city of Plymouth last year for $50,000, worked well, Stumpf said. “It’s a wonderful system. I was able to set it up on my own.” Thanks to both small and large contributors, the committee was able to pay off the $40,000 owing on the stage last year, two years ahead of schedule. Now it’s trying to raise more money to buy a sound system for the stage and also to pay for some of the concerts this year and next, committee chairwoman Laura Hood Beckman said. The Petal and Palate Garden Tour will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 8. It will feature five garden locations, winding up with lunch and a garden tour at Fairhaven Farm. The Bootleggers Banquet, a dinner, dance and silent auction, will be held Saturday, Aug. 5, at Reichel’s Event Center starting about 6 p.m. With a Roaring 20s-gangster era theme, it will feature a Bungalo Island Buffet and Big Band music by the Riverboat Ramblers. The band will be sponsored by the Annandale State Bank. Tickets for both fundraisers will go on sale Monday, May 15, at the Snooty Fox Gallery and In Hot Water. Beckman said people have asked her why, with the stage paid off, the committee needs to raise more money. While the committee is pleased to have it paid for, the stage is just one project that’s been accomplished, she said. The committee is trying to take the cultural experience to a higher level with the concert series. The garden tour and dinner-dance are opportunities to raise money without hitting up businesses all the time, Beckman said. It costs $4,500 just to book the bands for the concerts this year, she said, and sponsoring businesses have covered some of that. According to Stumpf and Beckman, the Buffalo Orchestra is expected to play some classical and children’s pieces. Several of its members are from Annandale. The Paramount Jazz Band, which features Annandale High School band director Zane Schaefer on trombone, will play jazz and swing. Mr. Jim will present a children’s concert. He’s a three-time nominee for best children’s performer at the Minnesota Music Awards. Orange Whip features three Annandale musicians – Vic Jones, Aaron Purcell and Mark “Tuke” Weston. They’re expected to play pop-rock and a variety of other tunes. Timothy Berry and Friends features Carribean music and drumming. And the Annandale Community Band features up to 23 musicians directed by Ken Rudolph playing concert band standards, show tunes and military marches.
