What first-time visitors to the Lancaster Festival need to know

LANCASTER − Going to the Lancaster Festival for the first time?

While the Lancaster Festival gets returning fans each year, there will no doubt be those who are visiting it for the first time.

"If people have not been to the festival they need to know the majority of what we do is free of charge," executive director Deb Connell said. "More than 75% of what we do is not ticketed."

Connell said newcomers may not know that they can bring their own chairs, picnic baskets and blankets into the grounds at Ohio University for events there on the Wendel Concert Stage.

"We allow people to bring their own items in to make themselves comfortable," she said. "That is something different from most concert venues."

Pop act Wilson Phillips and country artist Lee Brice are the headliners at this summer's 40th anniversary of the festival.

Michael Jackson tribute act "Who's Bad: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience is the tribute act.

Both Saturday night acts will perform with the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra for at least some songs.

Wilson Phillips will play on the Wendel Concert Stage at Ohio University Lancaster on Saturday. Who's Bad will perform on July 24 and Brice will close out the festival on July 27.

Here are some more things to know for first-time festival visitors.

• Besides the headliners, the festival has a long list of other events during its run. They include Chalk the Block from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday around Fountain Square downtown, several Lancaster Festival Orchestra mini concerts around the area during the week, daily lunchtime concerts and other events downtown and around the city.
• There are numerous food trucks at the downtown events.
• The festival will also mark orchestra conductor Gary Sheldon's last year with the festival. He became festival conductor in 1988 but served as assistant conductor before that.
• For the Wilson Phillips and Brice shows, tickets are $45 in advance for lawn tickets and $55 at the gate. Student/child tickets are $10. A table of 10 ranges for $550 to $600.
• For the Jackson tribute show, advance lawn tickets are $30 and $40 at the gate. Student/child tickets are $10 and a table of 10 is $300.
• Visit www.lancasterfestival.org for more information and the complete event schedule.

jbarron@gannett.com

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