As the Washington Park Wednesday organizers prepare for the concert series’ annual fundraiser Wednesday, April 26 at the North Avenue Market, they announced this season’s lineup for the Washington Park bandshell.
The eight-week series of local music, food, art and community activities kicks off on July 12 with Venus Rising and runs through Aug. 30 with a Back to School Celebration featuring DuPont Brass and Scam Likely.
Here is the complete schedule:
July 12 – Venus Rising – You Win !!!, Dora Diamond, bdwthr
July 19 – Viva! Washington Park – Latin Sound System, Septeto Charambo
July 26 – Old School – Concord Orchestra, Wisconsin Conservatory Suzuki
Aug. 2 – Live! Art – V Funk, B.Wyzdom
Aug. 9 – Ride On – Cullah, The Florentine Opera
Aug. 16 – Carnival – Paradise Jazz Band, Shuga Blu, Prof. Pinkerton’s Circus
Aug. 23 – Farm to Park – Midnight Purchase, Peter Thomas and Friends
Aug. 30 – Back to School – DuPont Brass, Scam Likely
The activities kick off at 5 p.m. and the music begins at 6.
Artists Working in Education’s (AWE) Truck Studio will be on hand for drop-in arts enrichment activities for kids ages 4-14, and local vendors and food trucks will offer food and beverages.
Free meals will be available for children from the Milwaukee Center for Independence (MCFI).
“Washington Park Wednesdays continues to innovate,” said Washington Park Neighbors Board VP Jane Konkel. “This summer, we’re pushing our mission to include a role as an incubator for vendor businesses and arts organizations that includes education roles in sound technology and stage management. As a public school educator, going beyond for young people in our community is exciting and important work.
“We continue to offer nightly themes, incredible music, art, activities and free meals for
kids. Each Wednesday is an opportunity to feel uplifted!”
At Wednesday evening’s fundraiser, which takes place from 5 until 8 p.m., you can enjoy live music from Dramatic Lovers and a performance by Kavon Cortez Jones, plus local food and drinks!
Online donations can also be made via washingtonparkneighbors.com/helpusgrow.
For more information visit washingtonparkneighbors.com.
Read about the history of the bandshell (aka the Blatz Temple of Music) here.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
