Daleville Institute brings some changes to ‘Party at the Pavilion’ concert series: Emphasis will be on helping county organizations and civic groups
The Daleville Institute (DI) is producing this summer’s Party at the Pavilion at Daleville Town Center— upping its profile to fulfill its mission to promote cultural life in the community.
The non-profit got its legs under itself last year when it sponsored the Sidewinders Summer Concert Series that brought country bands to the Pavilion on four Saturdays from June to September.
The Sidewinders Series will be back this year under the institute’s banner, Molly Henry explained as she outlined the other concert series Daleville Institute will be producing this summer.
Earlier this winter, EventZone announced it was moving its Party in the Park concert series to Vinton.
It was a natural fit for DI to assume production of the Thursday evening concerts since it was in the plans since its formation in 2011 to provide cultural activities at Daleville Town Center.
DI beefed up its board of directors with additional local members, reached out to Botetourt County charitable and civic organizations, made some modifications to the Thursday evening concert series and scheduled 15 concerts over the course of the summer— 11 on Thursday evenings and four Sidewinders concerts on Saturdays.
Henry, who works for Fralin & Waldron, the Daleville Town Center developer, is on the DI board of directors and is the front person for the concert series. She’s very familiar with running programs that work with community organizations so they can raise money for themselves. She’s helped manage Roanoke’s First Fridays for several years and worked with EventZone since it moved Party in the Park to Daleville from Roanoke.
There will be two important changes to the Thursday evening concerts. They’ll be twice a month (first and third Thursdays) rather than weekly, and the proceeds raised by the series will go to Botetourt County organizations or those that provide support in Botetourt.
DI will also be producing the Virginia Beer and Wine Festival and a couple of Friday movie nights for families.
“We’re on a good path,” Henry said of the changes.
“I think people will like the concept.”
Big Lick Entertainment will continue to produce the Flat Pickin’ Fridays on the second Fridays of the month.
Henry said Daleville Institute also expects to have a handful of other Saturday day and night events— not every week— that will complement the concerts.
By having fewer concerts, she said there won’t be as many conflicts with other community events throughout the county either.
She also said the band lineup for the Thursday evening Party at the Pavilion concerts will change some— with not as much emphasis on beach music. There will be beach music though.
The Kings and a Willie Nelson tribute band will be among those taking the stage. Superhold will open Party at the Pavilion on May 4 and the series will close in late summer with The Worx. The Tams, Key West and Band of Oz are among the others that will perform during Party at the Pavilion.
Henry noted that 2017 will be a transition year, but one the community should enjoy. She said the previous concerts were great, but attendance was not always what was required to meet the expenses. Weather last summer contributed to that, but also the weekly concerts may have been a reason as well. They hope to have 700 or more folks at each concert.
There will be a Kids Zone at all of the Party at the Pavilion and Sidewinders concerts with activities for the youngsters. “This will be family friendly,” Henry said.
Another plus, she said, will be the return of PA Short Distributors as the beer vendor. PA Short handles Bud and Bud Light. There will also be craft beers and the local wineries will be able to participate again with the change of distributors.
DI also hopes to work with the Botetourt Farmers Market to not only help promote the market that is held on Saturday mornings at Daleville Town Center, but to blend some activities at The Pavilion to drive traffic during the market hours. As an example, Henry said they’re considering having some young local musicians take the stage some Saturdays.
The Sidewinders Concert Series kicks off on April 29 this year. The series skips May and returns on June 3, August 5 and September 16. This series supports the Daleville Institute’s mission.
Henry said the production model DI is using will support the charitable and civic organizations that are looking for ways to raise money. They won’t have to rent venues, meet insurance requirements or handle the production side of putting on an event.
The 10 members of the DI board of directors come from around the county and includes Henry, Karen Waldron, Many Ann Miller, Micki Patrick, Candace Monaghan, Kathy Austin, Andy Kelterhouse, Kevin Meade, Dave Cotton and Hal Bailey.
A complete schedule for Party at the Pavilion and the Sidewinders series will be on the Daleville Town Center website soon at www.dalevilletowncenter.com.
— Ed McCoy
