A few months ago, the local community was dealt a blow with the cancellation of the Bluemont summer concert series program that brought neighbors together for over forty years. Over the course of these decades, favorite bands were invited to town year after year. The seasonal concert schedules were mailed to community residents. Families made note of their favorite bands and planned weekend getaways around those dates. Our Old Town merchants and restaurants embraced the increase in foot traffic over the seven Saturdays when concerts were scheduled on a green lawn on one of Warrenton’s most attractive streets.
To accept the fact that these events would be cancelled, that the coordinating organization, Bluemont, was dissolving, was too big a pill for the founders of Allegro to swallow. When Town Manager, Brannon Godfrey, stopped by the Allegro studios to discuss the concerts, he asked if we would be able to continue the concerts for the Town of Warrenton. The Allegro mission states that we will give back to the community and with this request, we were being asked to make good on that mission. Without terribly much thought, we said yes.
In addition to business as usual with camps, theatre performances, orchestra performances, and music lessons we added seven events to the summer schedule of Allegro. Without time to lose, we hit the ground running. We identified a chair to lead the effort and welcomed every volunteer who expressed an interest in helping Allegro keep this favored activity alive for the town.
For a few weeks now, we have been on the phone, calling bands, checking schedules, comparing rates against a shoestring budget. We have reached out to former sponsors to ask if they will help Allegro and pledge a donation this summer for the concert series. And so, with less than 90 days until the inaugural Summer on the Green Concert Series Presented by Allegro, we are asking all community members to lend their support.
There is still time to become a Concert Sponsor. When others had reallocated their funding for the concerts upon hearing of the closure of Bluemont, there were those who were willing to step in and support the series. We’d like to say Thank You!
Appleton Campbell, Allen Wayne, SOBO, The Fauquier Bank, HMN Photography & Film, The Town of Warrenton, The PATH Foundation, The Law Firm of Marie Washington, Larry Finkel Dermetology, AJAK Productions, American Printing and Promotions, Puffenbarger Insurance.
The founders of Allegro understand that today community means more than it has in years. In today’s era, we are only connected through disconnected technology. We only know of friends’ happenings through the screen of silence separating people from physically interacting.
These concert series invite strangers to pull up a blanket beside one another, under the summer stars, and enjoy a favorite band or find a new one, together. Hearts are filled with music as children dance in the street. It is the quintessential small-town activity that has thrived in Warrenton for more than four decades. And we are honored to keep the music playing.
A new addition to the Concert Series will be the Family Hour which has been sponsored by the PATH Foundation. Family Hour will begin at 6:30pm and run until 7:15pm. Included in the price of admission, this will be a time for families to come out and play together. Families will enjoy a hands-on craft activity, a physical activity (such as Zumba for kids, theatre and musical games and activities), face painting, cotton candy, snow cones, board games (provided by Mathnasium and Catlilli Games) and much more.
“The idea is to give families with small children an earlier activity. The little ones don’t make it until 9:30 with the concerts, but we still want to get out and do things,” said Aimee O’Grady, concert chair. “If they can stay a little while into the music, great. If not, there is a lot of fun to be had.”
Our Summer on the Green music line-up is as follows:
July 7: Silvertones
Jul 14: Make Music Day (Eva Walker Park): Bottle Shop
July 21: Elizabeth Lawrence Band
July 28: Circa-Blue
August 4: Pan Masters Steel Orchestra
August 11: The Rectifiers
August 18: Dixie Power Trio
All entertainment is scheduled to perform on the Warrenton Green, located on Culpeper Street in Historic Old Town Warrenton. The July 14 Make Music Day is an all-day event that will be held at Eva Walker Park located on Haiti Street in Warrenton.
Admission is $5 per person. $4 for Friends of Allegro. Children 5 and under are free.
Music begins at 7:30pm.
Bring blankets and lawn chairs. Snacks and beverages will be available for sale. There will be a food truck every evening as well as a beer and wine garden. Please note: no outside alcohol is allowed.
Visit www.allegrocsa.org or like us on Facebook for updates.
To become a sponsor of one or more of the concert series and to become a Friend of Allegro, contact Lachelle Yoder at lachelle@allegrocsa.org.