By Tim Schmidt Record Managing Editor Grab a chair, kick off your shoes and rewind your mind. The Warren County Fine Arts Council’s Concerts in the Park series opens this week and members are excited about this year’s lineup. The free outdoor concerts will feature a wide array of musical acts from June to August in Warrenton, Wright City and Marthasville. The summer concert series begins this Thursday, June 12, with Blues Racket playing at Dyer Park in Warrenton from 7-9 p.m. The concerts are free and open to the public. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on. Coolers are also allowed, said Mike Shilharvey, a member of the Warren County Fine Arts Council. “We usually try to mix up the genre of music,” he said. “We try to have classic rock, blues. We try to have country, a mix of classic and modern, and bluegrass.” This is the first summer concerts in Wright City are being held on a different day. The change to the third Thursday of the month was done in an attempt to boost attendance. In the past, concerts were held on Tuesdays. The time remains the same from 7-9 p.m. The concerts will start 30 minutes after the close of the weekly farmer’s market. Meanwhile, the Warrenton and Marthasville concerts will continue to be held at the same time each month. The Warrenton concerts are held the second Thursday from 7-9 p.m., while Marthasville will play host on the fourth Friday from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Returning bands from last year are Blues Racket, Melissa Neels Band, Rich Helton and Circle of Friends, Three Point Hitch and Bag Lunch Blues Band. New bands that have been booked this year include Mike Apirion 3, Schmitts & Grins, and Misfits Classic Country. George Portz and Friends of Bluegrass, which had been booked in the past, also returns to the lineup this summer. Organizers want concertgoers to enjoy a relaxing evening listening to quality local or regional acts. “This is one thing we’re trying to provide for the community,” Shilharvey said. “We provide programs at schools. We’re trying to enrich the whole community. A community without art leaves an empty spot.” Funding for the concerts are provided by the Warren County Fine Arts council, Missouri Arts Council, the cities of Warrenton and Wright City, and the Marthasville Area Chamber of Commerce. The Warren County Fine Arts Council accepts donations throughout the year to help fund its program. Anyone interested in joining the group can contact Shilharvey at 314-220-6921. SUMMER LINEUP The Concerts in the Park summer series resumes this week, with monthly concerts in Warrenton, Wright City and Marthasville. WarrrentonDyer Park
7-9 p.m.
June 12- Blues Racket
July 10- Schmitts & Grins
Aug. 14- George Portz & Friends of Bluegrass Wright City
Diekroeger Park
7-9 p.m. June 19- Mike Apirion 3
July 17- Bag Lunch Blues Band
Aug. 21- Rich Helton & Circle of Friends Marthasville
City park pavilion
7:30-9:30 p.m. June 27- Melissa Neels Band
July 25- Misfits Classic Country
Aug. 22- Three Point Hitch
Concerts in the Park series
