Sounds of summer return with Six to Sunset shows

LINEUPS FOR SUMMER SERIES

Six to Sunset concerts

6 p.m. Thursdays

at Esther Short Park, free

o July 17: The Beatniks

o July 24: Curtis Salgado

o July 31: Johnny Limbo & The Lugnuts

o Aug. 7: 5 Guys Named Moe

o Aug. 14: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

Destination Downtown
noon concerts

Noon Wednesdays at

Esther Short Park, free

o July 16: Lincoln’s Beard

o July 23: Gravy

o July 30: One of a Kind Drumline

o Aug. 6: Supadupa Marimba Brothers

o Aug. 13: Britnee Kellogg

Country Financial Friday Night Movies in the Park

Movies start at dusk at various locations, free

o July 11 at Haagen Park: “Up”

o July 18 at Fruit Valley Park: “Back to the Future”

o July 25 at Marshall Park: “The Goonies”

o Aug. 1 at John Ball Park: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II”

o Aug. 8 at Fisher Basin Park: “Second Hand Lions”

o Aug. 15 at Esther Short Park: “Hoosiers”

Downtown parking

Parking is available at the Park n’ Go next to Esther Short Park, and downtown street parking is free after 6 p.m.

Minutes before the band took to the pavilion stage at Esther Short Park Thursday evening, people could be seen lugging lawn chairs, blankets, umbrellas and snacks. Someone even brought a carrot cake to the downtown park for the occasion.

Summertime concerts on the park lawn means bringing everything you need — or don’t need — to enjoy tunes while the sun goes down.

The free Six to Sunset concert series consistently brings 5,000 to 6,000 people to the park each week, said Stacey Donovan, special events manager for the city of Vancouver. Finding an open patch of grass in front of the stage was tough. Latecomers set up their lawn chairs on the edge of the sidewalk to get a view of Stone in Love, a Journey tribute band. It didn’t really matter where people sat, the music could be heard just about anywhere in the park.

Dave Smith watched from a lawn chair on the side of the stage. He returned to the park for the concerts after going last year and finding it to be a “relaxing, comfortable” summertime activity.

“The price is right,” he said with a laugh. “The weather’s perfect for it.”

This year, the series in the park brings back bands that didn’t play last year.

Blues singer Curtis Salgado is the only returning act from last year, Donovan said. The summer’s lineup consists mostly of cover bands, like Stone in Love, playing the classics. Even the sixth and closing act, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra on Aug. 14, is slated to cover movie theme songs.

To spread the word about the concerts, Vancouver and Riverview Community Bank are promoting the series through social media. People who post photos, videos or check in with a status update from the park using the hashtag #6tosunset on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Google+ have the chance to win a prize from local businesses.

Thing is, the concerts are already so popular, they don’t really need to be promoted, Donovan said.

Lots of people know about the concerts through word of mouth.

Vic Sorisio heard about the concert while at a meeting downtown and decided to walk over. Sorisio, who’s in a cover band of his own called 24-7 Band, said, “I have an appreciation for what these guys are doing.”

People continued pouring into the park about a half-hour after the concert started. Others milled about, checking out the food vendors and the Pub in the Park near the gazebo.

In addition to Thursday concerts, Esther Short also hosts the free Destination Downtown noon concerts and Friday Night Movies in the Park that start at dusk.

Riverview Community Bank has been the primary sponsor of the Thursday concerts for 13 years with contributions from the Port of Vancouver, The Columbian and Corwin Beverage Company.

Patty Hastings: 360-735-4513; www.twitter.com/col_cops; patty.hastings@columbian.com.