The “Third Thursday” summer concert series will continue for a third straight year at Winter Garden Plaza in downtown Jamestown, starting this week.
The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation and the Active Artists Alliance have announced that the popular series will resume on May 15 with free performances by local bands Smackdab and Little Sea Bird. Concerts will continue on the third Thursday of each month through September. Music begins at 7 pm at the plaza, located on North Main Street between Third and Fourth Streets.
“The community has supported this event, rain or shine, from the beginning, and the JRC is proud to support the event for another year” says Gregory Lindquist, Executive Director of the JRC. “Having activity in downtown Jamestown’s public spaces is an important part of our mission to cultivate a vibrant and active downtown.”
Just over five years ago, the JRC oversaw the demolition of the long-vacant Winter Garden Theater and the installation of the small urban park that has become a gathering space for a variety of community events including the Great Jamestown Chalk Walk and the Great Jamestown Sauce Off.
“It’s great to be able to host free events for the community at Winter Garden Plaza,” says Active Artists Alliance President and event organizer Bill Thomas. “So many different people come down to our events here. We have teenagers and retirees along with families who bring their young kids to enjoy the nice summer weather and see great music from Jamestown and the region.” The audience is as eclectic as the music that entertains them each month with bands playing funk, jazz, reggae, rock, and bluegrass.
Funding for the Third Thursday concert series is coming this year from a newly launched JRC program, the Downtown and Riverfront Event Competition. The program accepts event proposals on a rolling basis “that draw visitors and local residents to enjoy community assets, patronize local businesses, and add vitality to public spaces” according to the program’s guidelines. More information about the program and how to apply can be found here on our Web site.