Saturday offering added to St. Mary's Park Summer Concert Series

MONROE — A Saturday performance is new to this year’s Summer Concert Series. Summer Dance Parties, Line Dances and Summer Fitness also are returning to St. Mary's Park, 111 W Elm Ave. All the offerings are free and are sponsored by the city of Monroe's Parks & Recreation Department.

The annual Summer Concert Series begins this Thursday with the Monroe High School Jazz Band, under the direction of Joseph Swinkey. Concerts begin at 7 p.m. at the park's bandshell. Attendees should bring chairs or blankets. All but two concerts are on Thursdays. Madison Avenue Band, one of three new groups to the series, will perform Saturday, Sept. 14. Popular children's performer Jim Gill will perform Friday, June 28.

Other new bands to the series are M125 (June 13) and Category 5 (Aug. 15).

The longtime concert series remains popular.

“Attendance at many of the 2023 concerts ranged from 1,600 to 2,800. The tribute bands brought the largest crowds, with over 5,000 at Katmandu and 10,000 at Shout!,” said Amy Mason, recreation programmer for the Monroe Parks and Recreation Department. "Attendance at the 2023 Gill children's concert more than doubled since 2022."

Because of the crowds, Elm Avenue will be closed for this season's Katmandu and Shout! concerts.

Food trucks, children's activities and the social district will again be part of the Summer Concert Series.

"We expect there will be children's activity tables at some of the concerts, as we've done in previous years," Mason said. "Food trucks are scheduled at each of the June through September concerts. The social district will be in effect at all concerts in the 2024 series."

Established in 2022, the city's social district allows legal consumption of adult beverages within established areas.

Also returning this year are Summer Dance Parties, formerly called Court Dances. They are set for 6-8 p.m. June 25 and Aug. 13 at the St. Mary's Park tennis courts.

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"The Court Dances have evolved into Summer Dance Parties, where people of all ages can join us on the St. Mary's Park tennis courts to hear music by DJ Big Mike of Totally Focused Entertainment. Yard games and kids activities will also be offered during these dances. Line Dancing Nights have returned on the St. Mary's Park tennis courts on three dates this summer (other dates will be announced)," Mason said. Line Dances run from 6:30-8 p.m.

Summer Fitness Series also is returning.

"The Monroe Family YMCA will offer the popular Summer Fitness Series at St. Mary's Park beginning June 10 at 7 p.m.," Mason said.

To learn more, visit Facebook or Monroemi.gov .

— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com .

Summer Concert in the Park Series

No concerts are set for the weeks of July 4 and the Monroe County Fair. Concerts begin at 7 p.m. Summer Dance Parties begin at 6 p.m. Line Dancing runs from 6:30-8 p.m. All events are in St. Mary's Park and are free.

May 23: Monroe High School Jazz Band

May 30: Monroe High School Generations of Sound

June 6: Monroe Big Band

June 13: M125

June 18: Line Dancing

June 20: Chris Canas Band

June 25: Summer Dance Party

June 27: Fred Tutle

June 28 (Friday): Jim Gill children’s concert

July 11: Killer Flamingos

July 18: Katmandu (Bob Seger tribute)

July 25: Shout! (Beatles tribute)

Aug. 8: Collision Six

Aug. 13: Summer Dance Party

Aug. 15: Category 5

Sept. 14 (Saturday): Madison Avenue Band

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Saturday offering added to St. Mary's Park Summer Concert Series