Feel the beat – and the heat – with Concord’s summer of fun

By Laura Hoffmeister 1 year ago
Feel the beat – and the heat – with Concord’s summer of fun
The second of Concord’s summer Music and Market concert series featured Bay Area party band, Fast Times playing classic rock from the ‘70s and ‘80s. Crowd favorite “Sweet Caroline “ brought this fan to his feet as the audience sang along with every verse. The concerts are Thursdays at 6:30 pm through Sept. 28. Farmers Market opens at 4. (Tamara Steiner photo)

Laura Hoffmeister, Mayor of ConcordCONCORD, CA (June 16, 2023) — With summer finally here, I’m looking forward to the variety of activities coming up in Concord.

On June 1, Music & Market returned to Todos Santos Plaza, also known as “Concord’s outdoor living room.” From pop and rock to country and Latin beats, the musical lineup includes something for everyone on Thursday evenings through September. Find the schedule at cityofconcord.org/downtownevents.

This summer series is a favorite community tradition that begins at 4 p.m., with the farmers market offering farm-fresh produce, snacks, hot meals and more. The concerts run 6:30-8 p.m., and the park provides plenty of space for picnics, lawn chairs and dancing – or you can dine at nearby local restaurants.

Also returning on select Thursdays is Maker’s Boulevard, a community-driven market featuring local artisans and small businesses selling handmade items including jewelry, clothing, home décor and other unique items.

Fun in July

In July, we’ll offer more music when the Tuesday Night Blues series returns July 11, 18 and 25. Come out to hear the cool stylings of Frankie G and the Conviction, Annie Sampson and Jr. DeVille Blues Band.

Our free concerts are made possible by many generous community sponsors. If you can’t make it down to the Plaza, you can always catch our concerts live on Concord TV (Comcast channel 28, Astound/Wave channel 29 or 1026, AT&T U-verse channel 99) and on demand through our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@CityofConcord.

It wouldn’t be summer without the city’s annual Independence Day festivities. The Todos Santos Business Association Arts Foundation is sponsoring a day full of activities in downtown Concord. The day will start with an 8 a.m. 5K fun run and pancake breakfast by Diablo Rotary Club, followed by a 10 a.m. parade; this year’s theme is “Celebrating our Strong Foundations.” At 4 p.m. at Mt. Diablo High School, there will be live music, a kids’ carnival and food vendors. The celebration will be capped off by a 9 p.m. fireworks show that can be viewed at the high school.

The parade and event committee is looking for volunteers to help out that day. Information and parade sign up at www.concordjuly4th.com.

Concord Pavilion

For still more live music concerts, check out the lineup offered at the Concord Pavilion: soul, jazz, R&B, hip hop, rock, metal, pop and more. It’s a beautiful venue, especially on warm summer evenings. If you haven’t visited yet, I suggest you put that on your bucket list.

It wouldn’t be summer without the opportunity to cool off on a hot day. Concord Community Park (3501 Cowell Road) is open for recreational swimming 1-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 1-5 p.m. weekends. Meadow Homes spray park (1351 Detroit Ave.) is now open daily noon-6 p.m. Kids of all ages will enjoy splashing around in the colorful playground.

For a bigger splash, Hurricane Harbor water park is off Willow Pass Road (1950 Waterworld Parkway). Visit www.sixflags.com/hurricaneharborconcord for details.

Enjoy all this summer has to offer.

Direct your questions and comments to the mayor at 925-671-3158 or Laura.Hoffmeister@cityofconcord.org.

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