The season will begin at 8 p.m. Friday, led off by Springfield’s own singer-songwriter Griffin House. It will run through July 13, and admission is free, as it has been since the beginning.
“Even after we end a season, we get contacted by people asking who we have coming up for the next year,” said Arts Council Executive Director Tim Rowe. “They can’t wait to get back to the park for not just the acts, but as a community event where people see their friends, neighbors and sometimes people they haven’t seen in a while.”
Each fall is like working a puzzle, finding which acts are available when, trying to bring back audience favorites plus fresh acts and trying to meet various demographics and genres. Rowe and staff have heard comments that the festival is mostly tributes, and while they do have a number of them, he pointed out that only nine of the dates feature tributes, but often draw big crowds and support from those helping keep the festival free.
“The acts that have recognizable music get the sponsors that help us pay for other acts,” he said.
Rowe said one of the biggest buzzes has been for first-timer Big Bam Boom: The Hall and Oates Tribute. Other newcomers are country tributes The Honky Tonk Chicks and Boys in the Band: The Alabama Tribute. Popular returnees include Elton Rohn, Parrots of the Caribbean, Heart of Rock & Roll and always one of the biggest attractions, Resurrection: A Journey Tribute.
The festival does boast original performers such as country rockers McGuffey Lane on their 50th anniversary tour and Jim Donovan, formerly with worldbeat rock band Rusted Root, with his new group Sun King Warriors, who play a mix of Americana and groove rock.
Other nights, attendees can look to the stage and maybe see somebody familiar or fresh if they hadn’t before with a range of area performers.
“It’s important to remember where the festival came from and that was having hometown folks performing,” Rowe said.
Besides House, who has played at a number of festivals here, there’s first-time performers Allison Road, the country pop band with a local following, and Turn to Stone: A Tribute to ELO that will play its second show here after getting a strong reception in its 2023 debut.
Dance is represented by two Springfield groups — the Ohio Performing Arts Institute and Gary Geis School of Dance — joining for “Moving with the Ladies of Song.” This year’s Broadway in the Park is an original comedy by Springfield’s Dan Hunt, “The Last Pirates of the Vast Golden Treasure,” featuring a cast of more than 30 local performers.
Attendees at June 13′s “Pirates” show can have fun with “Dress Like a Pirate Night.” Those dressed up can win prizes and take a selfie with the character Captain Jack.
The only act that can claim to have performed in each Summer Arts Festival is the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, which will bring in guest violinist Siobhan Cronin in a night of orchestral takes on classic rock.
Family emphasis is a part of the festival, with KidsFest adding a variety of attractions for all ages. The Little Mermen return to share a night of Disney tunes, and there’s Family Fun Night with ventriloquist Lynn Trefzger and The Amazing Giants.
Rowe said one of the acts that may surprise is Next Generation Leahy, a Celtic family dance group that includes offspring of renowned dancers who have performed here previously in an energetic show.
“Any night is a night to discover something, whether you attend each performance, pick one or just come out of curiosity,” he said.
Besides a number of sponsors, the festival raises funds with the intermission pass the hat tradition that accepts donations to keep the festival admission-free.
Lawn chairs can be set up the day of an event beginning at 6 a.m. and must be removed at the end of each performance. Concession stands will offer a variety of food and beverages.
All performances will begin at 8 p.m. except for KidsFest. Attendees are encouraged to monitor weather reports as some shows could be delayed or canceled due to inclement weather.
For more information on the festival, go to www.springfieldartscouncil.org/.
2024 Arts Festival schedule
Friday, June 7: Griffin House
Saturday, June 8: Parrots of the Caribbean
Wednesday, June 12-Friday, June 14: The Last Pirates of the Vast Golden Treasure (Broadway in the Park)
Saturday, June 15: Resurrection – The Journey Tribute
Sunday, June 16: KidsFest, noon to 4 p.m. in Veterans Park
Wednesday, June 19: Family Fun Night with ventriloquist Lynn Trefzger and The Amazing Giants
Thursday, June 20: Allison Road
Friday, June 21: Next Generation Leahy
Saturday, June 22: The Honky Tonk Chicks
Sunday, June 23: McGuffey Lane 50th Anniversary Tour
Wednesday, June 26: The Motor City Revue
Thursday, June 27: The Little Mermen
Friday, June 28: Brass Tracks Band
Saturday, June 29: Heart of Rock & Roll – Tribute to Huey Lewis and the News
Sunday, June 30: Big Bam Boom – A Daryl Hall and John Oates Tribute
Friday, July 5: “Moving with the Ladies of Song” with the Ohio Performing Arts Institute and Gary Geis School of Dance
Saturday, July 6: Elton Rohn: North America’s Premier Elton John Tribute
Sunday, July 7: Springfield Symphony Orchestra
Wednesday, July 10: Turn to Stone: The Tribute to ELO
Thursday, July 11: Rusted Roots’ Jim Donovan and Sun King Warriors
Friday, July 12: Phil Dirt and the Dozers
Saturday, July 13: Boys in the Band – The Alabama Tribute
Special Events
Parrothead Party, 6 p.m. June 8
Dress Like a Pirate Night, 6-8 p.m. June 13
Skyline in the Park!, 6-9 p.m. June 22 and 28, July 6 and 11
Sip of Summer Wine-Down, 6 p.m. June 28 and 29
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