This summer, the Village Preservation and Improvement Society and City of Falls Church Recreation & Parks Division are proudly co-sponsoring the 16th Annual Concerts in the Park series. Every Thursday (except July 3) at 7 PM from June 19 to August 7, the entire community is invited to a free concert featuring musicians playing a variety of genres, from rock and roll to bluegrass.
The series began in 1993 as an outreach of the Village Preservation & Improvement Society to the community when local community icon David Eckert rekindled a tradition from Falls Church's early 20th century. The concerts are held at Cherry Hill Park (312 Park Ave., Falls Church). The VPIS organization aims to ensure a superb quality of living in the City of Falls Church by preserving and improving the character and landmarks of the city, promoting aesthetic values and community activities, and encouraging beautification of the city.
City resident and physician Gordon Theisz, who also is a board member of the Village Preservation and Improvement Society, is producer of this year's concert series. He schedules the local entertainers, whom all have a connection to Falls Church. Musicians may have gone to high school in the area, reside or have relatives here. Dr. Theisz selected a variety of music to appeal to all ages.
The event is free: concert-goers need only to bring a picnic, blanket and lawn chairs if they wish. Refreshments will be sold.
Along with each scheduled musician, the concert spotlights a local artist from Falls Church Arts. Their artwork will be on display and for sale. In the event of rain, concerts will relocate to the Falls Church Community Center (223 Little Falls St., Falls Church). Call 703-248-5077 TTY711 for further information or visit www.fallschurchva.gov or www.vpis.org.
This year's concert schedule is:
June 19
Mad for the Road (Irish music)
Laura Hartwick (mosaics)
June 26
Falls Church Concert Band
Christy Gavitt & Gloria Freund (underwater photography)
July 10
Randy Barrett and the Barretones (bluegrass)
Pyracantha Shapero (prints, renderings)
July 17
Skyline (a capella)
Mary Exline (paintings)
July 24
Andrew Acosta and the New Old Time String Band (American roots music)
Dede Haas & Mali Phonpadith (poetry and photographs)
July 31
Bana Ndule (Congolese band associated with Falls Church Sister City
Kokolopori)
Kathleen Buschow and Eileen Levy (paintings)
August 7
Tom Principato (rock and roll and blues)
Jill Saxton Smith (wood block cuts)
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