Free Music in Y-Town Abundant this Summer
Free Music Abundant this Summer
Staycations are all the rage as many buckle down on excessive spending by forgoing the big, expensive out-of-town summer get-away. But does staying close to home mean the next three months will be boring. Not a chance. For music lovers, there’s no place like home in the Mahoning Valley. The number of free concerts taking place will keep many a toe tapping.
The W.D. Packard Concert Band, the Pride of Warren since 1955, will be busy through August keeping big band buffs happy. All concerts are free and open to the public courtesy of the W.D. Packard Trust. The following is the schedule for the W.D. Packard Concert Band with all concerts taking place at the South Lawn band shell unless noted.
Sunday, June 14 Summer Band Concert 7:00 p.m.
(A Salute to Flag Day – Flags and Music Around the World)
Sunday, June 28 Summer Band Concert 7:00 p.m.
(Music for a Summer Evening)
Saturday, July 4 Concert & Fireworks 8:00 p.m. – Music Hall
(Fireworks display by Zambelli Fireworks)
Friday, July 24 Packard Dixieland Band 3:00 p.m. – Music Hall
Saturday, July 25 Big Band Sound of Packard Noon – Music Hall
Saturday, July 25 Dancing Under the Stars 8:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 26 Summer Band Concert 7:00 p.m. (TBA)
Sunday, August 9 Summer Band Concert 7:00 p.m. (TBA)
Sunday, August 23 Summer Band Concert 7:00 p.m(TBA).
The 42-acre Packard Park is home to the W.D. Packard Music Hall. When stage events take place, the Hall can seat more than 2,400. When the Hall is used for banquets, it can seat at least 500 people.
Those who frequent the Packard Music Hall know how hard the staffs, Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board and the numerous volunteers work to make this Warren, Ohio facility such a landmark in the community, which in turn would make founder and industrialist William Doud Packard (1861-1923) very proud.
Packard was known to love a good military march; so much so he specifically included a provision in his will stating his desire that music be a part of Warren’s culture long after his death. William’s wealth from the Packard Automotive Company and the Packard Motor Car Company, businesses he founded in the 1890s along with his brother James Ward Packard, helped make this a reality. Through a trust fund established for this purpose, the Music Hall was built with the remaining money to be used to maintain a band to perform there. World War II slowed the plan a bit, but in October of 1955 the Music Hall was finished and ready to go.
The W.D. Packard Music Hall is located at
1703 Mahoning Ave Nw
Warren, OH 44483-2008
For more information, visit their website at www.packardmusichall.com or call 330-841-2619.
