Concert series “Music on the Green” launched | News, Sports, Jobs

Nubble performs as part of the Music on the Green series at Riverside Park on July 3. (Photo provided by Katrina Glynn)

SARANAC LAKE – The Village of Saranac Lake’s Music on the Green concert series has begun, bringing local and international bands to the stage for weekly free concerts in Riverside Park.

This year’s lineup includes violins, steel drums, horns and a DJ, as well as a number of local bands and additional visual artists.

Admission to the concert series is free thanks to sponsorships, grants and support from the Village of Saranac Lake. Performances take place every Wednesday evening from 7-9 p.m. July 3 through August 14.

Laura Cunningham heads the volunteer committee and books the bands.

Cunningham said she tries to showcase different genres, never using the same bands and booking different acts than other venues in the area.

“Something for everyone,” She said.

The series started in early July with local folk band Nubble, who plucked, sang and presented their lyrics in front of over 200 people in the park.

Cunningham said she loved seeing the warm weather and people arriving on kayaks, paddleboards and boats to listen to the music from the water.

Cunningham said she works to bring local artists to the stage and has booked four this year – Nubble, Frankie and the Moonlighters, Double Axel and The Beat Authority.

Cunningham said this year they will also invite visual artists to complement the music.

Local entertainer Sammy Yelle will bring her collection of hula hoops and ribbons for dancing. She plans to teach children how to use her tools of the trade. Local cartoonist Joe Ferris will do free portraits.

The goal is to appeal to a diverse audience of music lovers, Cunningham said. She is pleased that in recent years teenagers have been coming out to dance and enjoy the music. At the same time, she said, children who come with their parents are entertained by Yelle. She also looks forward to the retirees who set up their lawn chairs promptly at 6 p.m. to get good seats.

“How wonderful is it to have a community event where people from all walks of life come together just to enjoy music together?” asked Cunningham. “It’s a great atmosphere.”

On Wednesday, Frankie and the Moonlighters played rock and roll from the ’50s and ’60s. Cunningham said the five-piece band recently played at North Country Community College’s graduation ceremony and she liked their sound.

Glynn said she was looking forward to seeing local rock’n’roll band Double Axel. She has heard they are a “Fan favorite” in the Tri-Lakes scene.

Cunningham said Dis-N-Dat will introduce a new genre to Music on the Green on July 24 with a mix of roots reggae, dance hall and R&B.

She said Waiting on Mongo on July 31, a seven-piece funk band will be a “great party.”

Personally, she is looking forward to “5 Pound Horse” on August 7, because violinist Elizabeth Daunis is her close childhood friend from Massachusetts, whom she has not seen in over 20 years.

She said Daunis has been a musician her whole life and she is excited to see her friend bring wild folk music to her new home.

“They are coming back from a European tour and will be coming to Saranac Lake,” said Cunningham.

To round out the series, North Country Public Radio DJ David Sommerstein will be playing live, eclectic dance music from his popular Friday show, “The Beat Authority,” on August 14.

Echo by The Station in Onchiota will use light and projection art to illuminate the trees in the park as darkness falls.

Cunningham said in the event of rain, the venue will be moved to Harrietstown Town Hall. The decision on whether to move the concert indoors will be made the day of the concert and announced on the concert series page on the village’s website and on its Facebook page, she said.

Music on the Green started in 2013 and has since brought more than 70 performing arts groups to Saranac Lake. The goal was to bring people downtown on weekdays to boost business and foster a vibrant community.