On select Friday evenings throughout the summer, Locust Street Park will be filled with the sound of music, thanks to the Columbia Lions Club. "We're happy to put this on for the people of Columbia," said Lions Club member Phil Kresge. "We always get a really good attendance, and it's always a fun night."
Concerts began in May and will be held on the third Friday of each month, with an additional concert on the first Friday in August. On June 17, Mama Tried will perform. The band features a high-energy mix of '70s and '80s music, with R&B, funk and classic soul. On July 15, a '60s and '70s funky variety will be performed by The Fabulous Cheeze Brothers & Sisters in the group's last public performance before it disbands after more than 30 years together. The Maxwell Project, a 10-piece funk and soul band, will take the stage on Aug. 5, and the concert series will wrap up with dance favorites from Pocketful O' Soul on Aug. 19.
"We try to present very professional and experienced acts that will appeal to a wide range of audiences," Kresge noted. "It's a nice variety of music."
Kresge said the Lions Club has been hosting the concert series since about 2015. "I saw other communities doing lawn concerts, and I thought it would be a nice opportunity for Columbia," he noted. "We have the gazebo in the park. It's a really pleasant atmosphere, and it's nicely shaded." The Lions Club is able to put on the concerts with support from area businesses and organizations, Kresge remarked. "We can cover the cost of the bands, the advertising we do, the (portable restrooms) thanks to generous donations from the service clubs in Columbia including the Elks, the Moose, the Legion, the Foresters, the Sunsnappers and the fire department, along with very generous businesses," he commented.
In addition to music, each concert will feature food trucks offering a variety of options, and Kresge noted that most of the concerts will be followed by a movie in the park hosted by Columbia Public Library at dusk. On June 17, "Space Jam" will be shown. On July 15, "Remember the Titans" will be featured, and the Aug. 19 movie will be "Encanto."
Kresge invites everyone out for a casual evening of free entertainment. "It's a fun way to spend a Friday night," he said.
Locust Street Park is located at 560 Locust St., Columbia. For more information on the concert series, including weather-related updates, search for "Columbia Pa Lions Club" on Facebook.
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