The Ned Smith Center hosts a summer concert series and celebrates a decade of music on its outdoor stage

DeSoto Amphitheater

With live music season in full swing, the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art has a full schedule of shows lined up for its annual summer concert series while celebrating the tenth anniversary of its DeSoto Amphitheater.

The series, held in the amphitheater outside the center’s building in Millersburg, began May 25 with the Pennsylvania Regional Ballet and concludes Sept. 21 with the Heart tribute band Heart by Heart. Other performances in this milestone year include the Gamut Theater’s Shakespeare in the Woods and Billy Joel’s original touring band Lords of 52^and Street, who played last Saturday.

The concerts will include 10th anniversary festivities such as decorations, giveaways and fundraisers. Linda Enders, the amphitheater’s volunteer coordinator and a member of the Arts and Entertainment Committee, considered them “the icing on the cake” and rounded out an already exciting season.

The concert series began before the amphitheater was built and was created by its namesake, Carole DeSoto, a longtime patron of the area’s arts. Arts and Entertainment Committee Chairman Christopher Dietz said DeSoto was a “visionary” who was “instrumental” in many community improvement projects, such as bringing the Harrisburg Area YMCA to northern Dauphin County and expanding the Dauphin County library system.

“I think the amphitheater is a similar extension of that vision and brings a cultural component to it … maybe people wouldn’t have the opportunity to see a ballet or a Shakespeare performance in person,” Dietz said.

“Accessibility and a warm welcome were our goals from the start,” says Ned Smith’s operations manager Alexandra Singer.

“You shouldn’t have to worry about how much change you have in your pocket to come here and have a good time,” Singer said. “Mother Nature doesn’t have a price and we try to keep our price very limited.”

The amphitheater was built with a simple goal when it opened in 2014: to be an outdoor venue that would showcase the beauty of nature while providing a focal point for artists who wanted to perform. Since then, it has been “a place for entertainment here in the valley,” said Erin Margerum, who serves on both the center’s Arts & Entertainment Committee and Board of Trustees.

“It takes a while to build the program and get the community and the public around it,” said Ray Enders, stage manager and board member of the amphitheater. “I think the humble beginnings have given us a very good foundation to attract some national acts and very good local talent.”

At the early shows, capacity was limited to 50 to 80 people; today, 300 to 350 spectators come.

“We usually ask, ‘Who is new to the center and has never been here before?’ And there are always a lot of hands in the audience,” Dietz said.

An unforeseen benefit of this outdoor venue was that it was able to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing entertainment at a time when there were few other options.

“There were people who came to the theater because it was the only place they could see live music,” Margerum said. “It gave us an opportunity for people to take a breather for a few hours and have a normal evening.”

Dietz said the amphitheater is also a “gateway” to the mission and resources the center offers as a whole. Last year, Linda suggested keeping the center’s art gallery open before concerts so people would have something to do while they waited, which has had very positive results.

“We had more visitors then than during the week,” said Linda Enders. “We also made more money by simply setting up a container instead of charging for it.”

Admission to the galleries as well as the surrounding hiking trails, the playground and other facilities at the center remains free all year round.

“If you get over the hump, we will make it worth your while,” Margerum said.

The Ned Smith Center is located at 176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg. Click here for more information about the center’s entertainment offerings and upcoming concerts.

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