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Dancing in the park!

August 23, 2023 10:05 am

We did our first free concert at a park close to our home last weekend. It was a ten-minute ride. Parking was easy and the field surrounding the bandshell was large and terraced. You didn’t need to go early to get a spot. You had to take your own chair or blanket as there was no seating. It was an easy venue and we liked that. (Did I mention it was close and parking was good?)

The concert was advertised as “island music.” When I hear that I think Jimmy Buffet. We were there for the first set and half of the second. They only played one true Buffet tune, but they did some “island” tunes. I think of “Brown Eyed Girl” as a Van Morrison song but Jimmy did a great rendition too (so does Bruce Springsteen). There was calypso and a lot of 60-70s tunes. They were playing early Beatles when we left.  I did not get to hear “Margaritaville” which may  have been their closing tune. The band was adequate and fun. They weren’t young but they got into their groove.

Aside from toddlers tumbling in the back (seriously are they made of rubber?), we brought down the average age to 80. Tons of seniors (including us) were enjoying the music. Some were swaying precariously in their aluminum chairs (perhaps they should have had medics on alert!) and a few were dancing (or having a heart attack, not sure which) in the back.

There were a group of kids, maybe 10 to 12, hawking homemade lemonade and honey from their hives. They didn’t get many takers as most of the audience brought their own drinks. Seniors think of everything!

The couple next to us brought their supper to enjoy. We reminisced about going to other park concerts with friends. We speculated that one friend would have had a large food spread and made a party out of it. Sort of like tailgating but without the grill and the sports event.

The weather was perfect and the night was free. What more can you ask for?

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Posted by Kate Crimmins

Categories: Aging Gracefully, Humor, Other People

Tags: , , , ,

53 Responses to “Dancing in the park!”

  1. You are hilarious! It sounds like y’all had a great time!

    Liked by 1 person

    By Belladonna on August 31, 2023 at 11:42 am

    1. We did!

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 31, 2023 at 12:27 pm

  2. This was hilarious! Glad you guys brought the average number down. lol. Sounds like fun! – Marty

    Liked by 1 person

    By snakesinthegrass2014 on August 25, 2023 at 2:13 pm

    1. It was a lot of fun. It was interesting how many seniors came out. Good for them!

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 31, 2023 at 12:31 pm

  3. Got some smiles and giggles from this one. Close and parking? Perfect.
    I like the “bring your own chairs” thing – makes it casual with people not sitting in straight rows – lots of variety to see, too: both people and seating choices! HAHA

    Liked by 1 person

    By philosophermouseofthehedge on August 25, 2023 at 8:40 am

    1. The people watching was fun too!

      Like

      By Kate Crimmins on August 25, 2023 at 9:12 am

  4. You crack me up. “We brought down the average age to 80.” hahaha. Now there is a concert thingie like that every Sunday next to my daughter’s condo complex. She and her husband and my and DIL go there sometimes. They say it is mostly families with children that go. But you do have to bring your own lawn chairs.

    Liked by 2 people

    By Luanne on August 24, 2023 at 1:45 pm

    1. Sounds very similar. There is a development surrounding the park and that’s were the toddlers came from. Their parents stayed in the back so the kids could run.

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 24, 2023 at 2:14 pm

      1. It’s really nice to have “neighborhood” venues like that. For free!

        Liked by 2 people

        By Luanne on August 24, 2023 at 3:15 pm

        1. Yes we are lucky. There are others but they are not so easy.

          Liked by 2 people

          By Kate Crimmins on August 24, 2023 at 4:42 pm

  5. What fun! You reminded me that we have one of those and I totally forget to check the band schedule. I’ll have to see if they have any over Labor Day weekend. Ours is a little farther than yours, about a 20-minute drive. I like to go see the 80s cover bands. And I usually do some dancing in the park. Glad you got out to enjoy a nice evening of music. Thanks for the reminder.

    Liked by 1 person

    By Lori on August 24, 2023 at 10:42 am

    1. I usually forget until halfway through the summer. I missed another group I really wanted to hear. Next year!

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 24, 2023 at 1:02 pm

  6. The only thing I can think of is…more concerts in the park? Glad you had a good time.

    Liked by 1 person

    By Tails Around the Ranch on August 24, 2023 at 10:01 am

    1. It was a perfect night!

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 24, 2023 at 1:02 pm

  7. Sounds like great fun! It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a similar event. I don’t think of myself as old most of the time but the concert in the park does seem kind of directed toward us slightly older persons. I remember those concerts in the park in movies and books with swing bands. I have nothing against swing bands but Island music would be more fun.

    Liked by 1 person

    By Zazzy on August 24, 2023 at 8:30 am

    1. We used to go occasionally to on park that did mostly marching/swing/show tunes. Yes island music is much more fun!

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 24, 2023 at 8:50 am

  8. What a wonderful way to spend an evening. I remember going to outdoor concerts held at a local winery and being able to purchase a glass (plastic) or bottle to enjoy with the concert since it was on the winery’s grounds and didn’t break any laws. If the music was adequate, the air was fresh and people-watching was fun, what else more could you ask for? (Well, except if seating was provided, I guess!)

    Liked by 1 person

    By josborne17602 on August 24, 2023 at 7:07 am

    1. We have light weight portable chairs so I didn’t mind carrying my own but all you say is correct. It was just a perfect evening.

      Like

      By Kate Crimmins on August 24, 2023 at 7:46 am

  9. That sounds like a really great time 🙂 Glad you found a place close by that has fun events!

    Liked by 1 person

    By quiteayarnblog on August 24, 2023 at 12:30 am

    1. Me too. Some of the other venues have parking issues or are farther away.

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 24, 2023 at 7:47 am

  10. We have those free concerts, all tribute bands, a block over from me at Memorial Park (where the butterfly and violinist/cellist were). I can hear the music from my house and they are good. You have to take your own chair there too. At Heritage Park at the Botanical Gardens they have bands with vendor trucks – I think they charge $5.00 which helps to support the Gardens. It always looks fun but it starts by 6:00 p.m. and I work ’til 5:30 – maybe when I retire I’d like to go. I haven’t seen Jimmy Buffet come to the Detroit area in a few years, maybe since the pandemic began. I like his music and he has quite a following of Parrotheads here – they dress up with tropical clothes, even hats fashioned to look like a parrot.

    Liked by 1 person

    By Linda Schaub on August 23, 2023 at 9:04 pm

    1. I’ve seen Jimmy Buffet a half dozen times. Always fun. Guess I’m a parrothead too! The guy puts on an amazing show. All fun and no blitz, no flashing lights or naked women. Just good music.

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 24, 2023 at 7:48 am

      1. You are lucky – I love his music. Now I have seen the Beach Boys and Chicago each about six times and in 1976 saw them both in Michigan and then I took a coworker with me to Toronto and we stayed with my grandmother a week and we saw both groups at the Exhibition (an annual huge fair in Toronto). They both put on a great show back in the day as well. The thing with Jimmy Buffet and the Beach Boys and Chicago is everyone knows the songs and they’re up on their feet and singing. We usually had lawn seats at Pine Knob and everyone singing and swaying … good times.

        Liked by 1 person

        By Linda Schaub on August 24, 2023 at 8:02 pm

        1. Music where you know the words and can sing along is the best!

          Liked by 1 person

          By Kate Crimmins on August 25, 2023 at 7:57 am

          1. That’s for sure!

            Liked by 1 person

            By Linda Schaub on August 25, 2023 at 9:23 pm

  11. Sounds like you had a nice evening. Our local park has music throughout the summer, but I wish I could say parking is easy because it’s a bear hauling chairs several blocks. I haven’t been in a while because of that. I do see a lot of photos online with locals having a blast, standing, swaying, and dancing.

    Liked by 1 person

    By Judy@NewEnglandGardenAndThread on August 23, 2023 at 8:58 pm

    1. Our chairs are very lightweight so that’s not too bad. We used to go to some other venues that had good shows but the parking was awful. It felt like we were parking in the next state! I don’t mind walking but it made the whole thing a chore.

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 24, 2023 at 7:50 am

  12. Hi, Kate – Our beachfront park has a free weekend concert series on many summer nights (and a few concerts that are not as free). I absolutely LOVE them!

    Liked by 1 person

    By Retirement Reflections on August 23, 2023 at 8:46 pm

    1. It’s wonderful being outside and if you have a beachfront, all the better! So jealous!

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 24, 2023 at 7:50 am

  13. Sounds like a fun night for those that like to be near people- it would be torture for me. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    By 15andmeowing on August 23, 2023 at 8:44 pm

    1. There were a few dogs there but no cats. Just people! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 24, 2023 at 7:50 am

  14. That sounds just perfect! Hubby and I would be in the back dancing… or looking like we were having a heart attack.

    Liked by 2 people

    By Janis @ RetirementallyChallenged.com on August 23, 2023 at 7:49 pm

    1. As long as you are happy!

      Like

      By Kate Crimmins on August 23, 2023 at 8:13 pm

  15. Sounds great! 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    By joyroses13 on August 23, 2023 at 7:30 pm

    1. It was fun!

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 23, 2023 at 8:13 pm

  16. Sounds like a good time.

    Liked by 1 person

    By Correne on August 23, 2023 at 6:29 pm

    1. It was. Too bed we found it at the end of the summer!

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 23, 2023 at 8:13 pm

  17. Now I would go to a concert like that, Kate. I see in a comment that it was 5:30 -7:30, not too late and it would probably still be daylight. Glad you had a good time even without hearing “Margaritaville.”

    Liked by 1 person

    By The Coastal Crone on August 23, 2023 at 3:36 pm

    1. I loved the earlier time and yes, we went home in the light.

      Like

      By Kate Crimmins on August 23, 2023 at 6:10 pm

  18. I think it sounds like a perfect night. And I am tickled you had great weather. When we lived in St. Louis we went to concerts in the park. We enjoyed them but not when there were skeeters 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    By Pix Under the Palm Fronds on August 23, 2023 at 2:41 pm

    1. No skeeters but the concert was from 5:30 to 7:30. We left at 7 and it was just getting dusky. I don’t know if they do anything but there were no bugs at all.

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 23, 2023 at 2:54 pm

  19. Sounds like a lovely evening.

    Liked by 1 person

    By Patricia on August 23, 2023 at 1:52 pm

    1. It was and it was easy peasy. Close by and no hassle.

      Like

      By Kate Crimmins on August 23, 2023 at 8:13 pm

  20. Sounds like a perfect evening. I’m so glad seniors think of everything. Good to know.

    Liked by 1 person

    By Anne Mehrling on August 23, 2023 at 11:55 am

    1. They do. Need a tissue? They have it. Thirsty? There is a water bottle in their purse. They remember it all!

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 23, 2023 at 12:27 pm

  21. Nice! It’s great to get out. It’s even better to have friends who bring the whole spread. Please tell me the band played “Kokomo.”

    Liked by 1 person

    By AutumnAshbough on August 23, 2023 at 11:33 am

    1. Not while we were there!

      Liked by 1 person

      By Kate Crimmins on August 23, 2023 at 11:52 am

  22. When we lived in Winston-Salem NC, we did concerts in the park like that ~ with picnic dinners, adult beverages, and great tunes. Nice way to spend an evening.

    Here in Florida, we’ve done many outdoor concerts too ~ even some headliners, like Sophie B. Hawkins. There’s something about music out of doors that is wonderful.

    Liked by 1 person

    By nrhatch on August 23, 2023 at 11:17 am

    1. It is! This past weekend there were a lot of titanium hips swinging! I love to see folks partying especially older folks.

      Like

      By Kate Crimmins on August 23, 2023 at 11:24 am

  23. Toddlers and kittens are both made of rubber. Thankfully. Kittens are so nuts that I can’t believe they don’t get hurt more often. Sounds like a fun evening!

    Liked by 1 person

    By derrycats on August 23, 2023 at 10:28 am

    1. It was a fun evening. Sadly there is only one more concert and it’s not our kind of music. Next year we’ll start earlier. Watching those toddlers — I had forgotten how rubbery they are and yes kitten, puppies are like that too.

      Like

      By Kate Crimmins on August 23, 2023 at 11:25 am

  24. it is a little as if some good things from the past come back to us… loved to read about the event… and I hope you can be a guest at a party soon…

    Liked by 2 people

    By easyweimaraner on August 23, 2023 at 10:12 am

    1. Thanks. It does bring back the old memories when I routinely went to concerts and dances!

      Like

      By Kate Crimmins on August 23, 2023 at 11:26 am

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