Fan base grows for Verona's “Music in the Park”

Jul 15, 2010

Rick Smith and Free Beer got people's toes a-tappin' at McMullen Park in Verona

The Verona Community Association is pleased as their second annual free concert series held at McMullen Park in Verona continues to grow in popularity.

The second of three summer concerts took place on June 11 and attracted upwards of 150 people, who set up chairs in the beachside park to listen to country crooners Rick Smith and Free Beer, who played two sets of toe-tapping country favorites.

Thanks to the renovation of the park “cottage”, which was part of the recreation committee's master plan to improve the park, bands can now play in the daytime under cover with a beautiful view of the lake and beach.

VCA member Joyce Casement, who founded and organizes the event, also books the bands and says she never has trouble finding local talent to play. “Local bands love this venue and many have actually tracked me down asking if they can play here.” That was the case with Crooked Wood, the well-known folk/Celtic band who played the first concert in the series and jammed the park with their loyal followers.

Joyce says one of the aims of the concerts was to promote the Verona area and the park. “What we have here is the perfect park, with a nice venue, tall shady trees and a beach. And a lot of people don't even know that it exists.”

Rick Smith and his band, which includes Rick Fraser on bass, drummer Garth Bowes, Andy Schick on steel guitar and Keith Dawson on lead guitar, have been playing traditional country, new and old since 2001 and are a fixture on the local country music scene. This is the first time the band has played the venue and Rick seemed very pleased with both the venue and the turnout. “We love it and are hoping that the organizers might start doing it more often.”

Joyce says that Rick is not the first to make that suggestion. “Right now we feel that three concerts, one per month is manageable. That being said we are considering trying to include more family fun on concert day, perhaps a BBQ, and will see how things go.”

The last and final concert in the series will be Bauder Road on Sunday, August 15 from 2-4 PM. Admission is free and listeners can make a donation to the VCA. In the event of bad weather the concert will take place at the Verona Lions Club on Sand Rd.