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| By Michelle Kealey Staff Writer AGAWAM The Agawam Cultural Council (ACC) has recently released its schedule for the annual SummerFest Concert Series, which features a new series of events for children. The SummerFest and KidsFest will kick-off in July and will take place throughout the months of July and August. Although the events do not begin until next month, Michael Grandfield, chairman of the SummerFest, said the schedule was released because the ACC started to receive some requests for it. He explained that in past years, the Council has had one day that included games for children and a movie. He said that after a couple of years, it didn't work out and the Park and Recreation Department decided to step to fund the KidsFest this year. "Hats off to Chris Sparks and [his] department," Grandfield said. He added that the Parks and Recreation Department has always worked closely with the Cultural Council on the SummerFest concerts. Grandfield said that historically, part of the SummerFest was funded by the state. When that funding was cut, the concerts were paid for by one-third corporate sponsors, one-third Parks and Recreation Department and one-third fund-raising and raffles done by the ACC. The Agawam Rotary Club also contributes. Christopher Sparks, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, said that his department has cooperated with the ACC in the past and decided to put a more formal spin on what it was doing. "We had been more of a silent partner with the summer concerts," he said. He said that there had not been many childrens events in the past and it was something that the department thought was important. "The summer concerts has grown to be so popular with the adults and families, but [they] are not always geared toward children," he said. He explained that the KidsFest events will take place from 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. on the Veterans Green. He added that the KidsFest is mostly geared toward children ages three to eight. There will be four KidsFest events and 11 SummerFest events this year. Grandfield explained that the ACC expanded the summer concert series to a full summer in 1997, and it has continued to grow since. The concerts will take place on Wednesday evenings and on Saturday evenings. He explained that the ACC decided to have the concerts on Wednesday nights because West Springfield had been putting on concerts for a number of years on Thursday evenings. "We didn't want to conflict with them," he said. He added that no concerts were taking place "on this side of the River" on Wednesday nights. The ACC offers a variety of music each year. Grandfield explained that the Council tries to choose a diverse set of performers and get the best possible talent with the available funding. He said, for example, that many people may now know what Zydeco is, but the Council chose Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas as one of the performers. He explained that the ACC hopes to "expand people's horizons in [regard to] what they like or don't like." The SummerFest also features a Celtic rock band, a country band and a bluegrass influenced jam band, among others. He said that one interesting concert to attend will be The Hot Buttered Rum String Band. The band is stopping in Agawam to perform on its way to the Newport Folk Festival. Grandfield said that The Hot Buttered Rum String Band travels in a tour bus that has been modified and is powered by vegetable oil. All of the concerts, which take place on the Veterans Green on Main Street, will begin at 7 p.m. The concerts will take place rain or shine, with some exceptions. Concerts may move into the High School. KidsFest events will be cancelled in the event of rain. The SummerFest and KidsFest events schedule is as follows: SummerFest Schedule July 2 SDRUM/The Diamond Collection July 6 Rhapsody July 13 The Memories Big Band July 20 Steve Azar July 23 Changes In Latitudes plus Shrek 2 July 27 Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas August 3 Enter the Haggis plus Zoe Darrow August 10 The Hot Buttered Rum String Band August 17 Doc Scanlon's Rhythm Boys August 24 Steve Smith and the Nakeds August 31 Souled Out. KidFest Schedule July 13 West African storyteller Stan Coly and award winning children's musician Les Julian July 27 Around the world yo-yo show & Marmalade Productions magical puppet show. August 10 TNT Puppets plus "The Balloon Animal" August 24 Storyteller Stan Coly & Bob Bloom's "Drumming About You." For more information about the ACC or for more information or photos of the band, visit www.agawamcc.org |