Johnson City Parks and Recreation Special points of interest: ~ Bert Street Music Series Bounces Back ~ Administration Highlights ~ Athletic Division Highlights ~ Park Services Division Highlights ~ Golf Division Highlights ~ Recreation Services Division
A Walk in the Park Your Parks and Recreation Connection I s s u e : 9
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Bert Street Music Series Bounces Back The 2021 Bert Street Music Series at Memorial Park Community Center’s amphitheater rebounded nicely from a year of silence due to the coronavirus. Nearly two years removed from the inaugural 2019 programming of live music at the amphitheater, this year’s musical and social offerings drew robust crowds of friendly music lovers to the six-concert series.
“You’ve got the mountains in the background, and you get to meet your friends and make new friends,” said Charlie Hann. “The music here is excellent. It’s a very safe feeling – a feeling of community.” The concerts, which were held each Thursday night from Aug. 12 – Sept. 16, kicked off with regional favorite Beach Nite Band and never slowed down, featuring a fun, eclectic mix from The Billy Crawford Band, My New Favorites, Jesse Barry and the Jam, Blaze the City and From the EDGE. The stage faces the tiered amphitheater below the famous Doughboy statue and veteran’s memorial plaza, but concert-goers also mingled on the surrounding grassy areas, as well as on benches on and around the plaza. “I like the music, said Kathleen Peterkin. “I like the setup better than Jonesborough’s Music on the Square. It’s definitely convenient, and parking is easy.” The Johnson City Press stepped up this year, making a three-year commitment to the series. WQUT 101.5 Tri-Cities’ Classic Rock continued their support and Campbell’s Morrell Music joined on as a sponsor for the first time. Special thanks also to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Park Services staff helped with setup and teardown and many essential duties, and MPCC staff helped nightly with hospitality and other duties. Here’s to a successful comeback and a bright future.