Free Concert Kicks Off Music Fest

A free, family-style concert on Saturday will kick off the first annual Summer Music Festival at Liberty Lake’s Pavillion Park.

Musician Norman Foote, who frequently appears on the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon, will perform at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Pavillion Park Amphitheatre, on Molter Road across from Meadowood Golf Course.

Between 1,000 and 3,000 people are expected to attend the concert, Frank said. Parking is available in several vacant lots near the park.

The Spokane Theatrical Company will present a preview of songs from its upcoming production, “Carousel,” prior to Foote’s appearance.

“He puts on a really nice show with the big puppets, like the Sesame Street puppets,” said Jim Frank, president of Greenstone Corp., which is underwriting the concert series. “Adults will enjoy it, especially adults with children or families.”

The concert series has already overgrown its $25,000 budget, and Foote was the most expensive entertainer in the concert series, Frank said.

“Someone has to be the captain for the first year, somebody has to take the risk to get it going,” said Frank.

Other cities provided inspiration for the concert series, said Margaret Whitman, Greenstone marketing director.

“On Fourth of July weekend in San Francisco you can walk anywhere and hear musicians performing for free,” said Whitman. “We would like to see much more free entertainment in this town.”

Future concerts in the series include: Brewer and Shipley on July 19 at 6 p.m.; Dan Seals on July 27 at 2 p.m. and The Boxtops on August 2 at 6 p.m. All the concerts are free and open to the public.

, DataTimes