Sponsors team up on 26th festival
Published 10:17 pm Monday, July 18, 2011
Saxophonist Tony Sproul of Outta Favor Boys wooed his audience Thursday, playing two instruments at a time during the Kalamazoo group’s performance at Beckwith Park. The 12-week concert series of the Dowagiac Downtown Development Authority, which was underwritten by Huntington Bank, continues this week as it presents Lake Effect Jazz Big Band, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Vickie Phillipson, program director of the Dowagiac DDA and Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce, announced this week that the June 23 performance of Otsego Jazz Ensemble, which was postponed due to weather, has been rescheduled for Thursday, Aug. 18. The 2011 performance season marks the 19th year music has been presented at Beckwith Park. Phillipson has raised monies for and has overseen the concert series for most of that time.
Hosted by the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce and now in its 26th year, the three-day summertime bash was underwritten by 26 corporate and activity sponsors, and a $10,000 fine arts grant, which was awarded to the Dowagiac Downtown Development Authority from St. Denys Foundation of Dowagiac.
Corporate festival sponsors include Lyons Industries, Southwestern Michigan College, Family Fare, Frontier Communications, Leader Publications, Dr. Alan Montgomery, Dr. Charles Burling and Dr. Jon Gillesby, Edward Jones and its Office of Kim MacGregor, Creative Vinyl Signs and LADD.
Returning to the stage at Beckwith Park are The Outta Towners on Thursday, July 28, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; a daytime and evening performance by Wildfire on Friday, July 29, from 11 a.m. to 5:30 and 7 to 8:30 p.m.; and Due Process on Saturday, July 30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Joining this year’s daytime line-up is Trae Marie Tillis, whose new-folk music will be presented by one of Dowagiac’s newest downtown merchants, The Gift of Namaste’.
Located at 206 S. Front St. and known as “that 70s shoppe,” owner Theresa Savidge will present performances by Tillis on Saturday, July 30, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Friday, July 29, from 6 to 8 p.m.
As a songwriter and performer, Tillis considers herself foremost a storyteller. Music critics have found her voice to be a truly magnificent instrument that ranges from the softness of a whisper to a owerhouse of soulful expression, with inflections of smoky blues.
Also new to the daytime line-up is long-time performing artist Al Mott of Cassopolis, whose one-man band features some of the best rock standards of our time. Mott’s performance Friday, July 29, from noon to 2 p.m., is being presented by the Cass County Council on Aging and will be staged touside the site of Dowagiac’s new senior center, located on Front Street next to Twistees.
“COA is excited to be developing the new senior center downtown and becoming a part of the neighborhood,” said Bob Long, director of development and community relations. “We want to become a good neighbor and provide both services and entertainment. With this year’s Summer in the City, we want to get people used to visiting us often.”
When the Outta Towners open the festival’s daytime entertainment at the Beckwith Park on Thursday, July 28, local residents are sure to recognize city employee Dennis Ferrier, who is best known for his dazzling guitar performances, as he balances his instrument above and behind his head, while strumming the chords,” said Vickie Phillipson, program director for the Chamber of Commerce and DDA, who is overseeing fund raising and entertainment scheduling for this year’s event.
Country music fans will also recognize The Outta Towners’ vocalist and guitarist Ron Miller of Goshen, Ind., and keyboard player Paul Rose, who are two of the five musicians who also comprise one of the festival’s veteran groups, Due Process, which takes center stage on Saturday, July 30, at 10 a.m. for its day-long performance.
