Organizing a neighborhood concert series can be a fantastic way to kick off the summer right. Think of the warm summer nights, the cool grass under your feet, and the music flowing through the air — tempted yet? Put together an intimate performance in a personable setting like your neighborhood.
Not only will you tackle boredom, but you’ll also provide a festive outlet for friends and family to enjoy local music.
Where to start
It’s not a concert without talent! Cathy O’Neal, communications director at the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts in Arlington, Texas, helps organize acts for its annual Fall Concert Series. She suggests looking to local restaurants or universities for talent.
Corrine Stanfield, president of the Fortuna Concert Series in the rural Northern California town, said their community event aims to bring quality music to their small town so residents don’t have to drive 40 miles. Stanfield suggests going for variety in talent, instead of sticking to one genre.
After the talent is found, it’s time to find a venue and spread the word.
Choose a spacious open area such as a park (with permission from the city) or open spot in your neighborhood. Stanfield uses an old building, formerly a women’s club, as the venue with an intimate setting that seats 160 people.
For publicity, you can send your event information to your local Chamber of Commerce calendar. Be sure you start advertising two weeks prior to the first concert to give people enough time to plan ahead.
O’Neal suggests hiring a caterer for appetizers and picnic items like deviled eggs, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables — the options are endless. Some concert must-haves include:
Bug spray
Blankets
A light sweater
Earplugs (optional)
Folding chairs
“People in our event are starting to be clever,” O’Neal says. “They’ll bring low tables with tablecloths or tie balloons to their chairs so people know where to find them.”
Follow city code and don’t bring glass containers — try wine in a cardboard serving receptacle, but make sure it’s permissible.
During the show
O’Neal suggests not starting a concert before 8 p.m., but to have guests arrive around 7 p.m. This gives them enough time to set up and allows for the steaming temperatures of the day to sizzle down. Also, be familiar with your city or town’s noise ordinances.
An hour and a half is the ideal time for people to sit or stand comfortably through a show. The Fortuna concerts have two 45-minute sets with a 20-minute intermission. Adding structure, Stanfield says, lets the audience know what to count on. “An hour and a half total of music is plenty,” Stanfield says. “It’s about all an audience can handle.”
Remember, the concert is intended to give everyone an evening escape into great music and relaxation. If you keep it simple, fun, and inviting, your event could turn into a fabulous community tradition.
Host a concert series
By Alanna Quillen
Organizing a neighborhood concert series can be a fantastic way to kick off the summer right. Think of the warm summer nights, the cool grass under your feet, and the music flowing through the air — tempted yet? Put together an intimate performance in a personable setting like your neighborhood.
Not only will you tackle boredom, but you’ll also provide a festive outlet for friends and family to enjoy local music.
Where to start
It’s not a concert without talent! Cathy O’Neal, communications director at the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts in Arlington, Texas, helps organize acts for its annual Fall Concert Series. She suggests looking to local restaurants or universities for talent.
Corrine Stanfield, president of the Fortuna Concert Series in the rural Northern California town, said their community event aims to bring quality music to their small town so residents don’t have to drive 40 miles. Stanfield suggests going for variety in talent, instead of sticking to one genre.
After the talent is found, it’s time to find a venue and spread the word.
Choose a spacious open area such as a park (with permission from the city) or open spot in your neighborhood. Stanfield uses an old building, formerly a women’s club, as the venue with an intimate setting that seats 160 people.
For publicity, you can send your event information to your local Chamber of Commerce calendar. Be sure you start advertising two weeks prior to the first concert to give people enough time to plan ahead.
You can gain publicity through:
What to bring
O’Neal suggests hiring a caterer for appetizers and picnic items like deviled eggs, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables — the options are endless. Some concert must-haves include:
“People in our event are starting to be clever,” O’Neal says. “They’ll bring low tables with tablecloths or tie balloons to their chairs so people know where to find them.”
Follow city code and don’t bring glass containers — try wine in a cardboard serving receptacle, but make sure it’s permissible.
During the show
O’Neal suggests not starting a concert before 8 p.m., but to have guests arrive around 7 p.m. This gives them enough time to set up and allows for the steaming temperatures of the day to sizzle down. Also, be familiar with your city or town’s noise ordinances.
An hour and a half is the ideal time for people to sit or stand comfortably through a show. The Fortuna concerts have two 45-minute sets with a 20-minute intermission. Adding structure, Stanfield says, lets the audience know what to count on. “An hour and a half total of music is plenty,” Stanfield says. “It’s about all an audience can handle.”
Remember, the concert is intended to give everyone an evening escape into great music and relaxation. If you keep it simple, fun, and inviting, your event could turn into a fabulous community tradition.