Skip to content

Tri-City parks alive this summer with sounds

Coquitlam's Summer Concert Series is the latest edition of music shows at local green spaces
delhi
Delhi 2 Dublin

Joe Fernandes is pleasantly surprised.

The Maple Ridge resident didn’t know he and his band were launching the inaugural Summer Concert Series in Coquitlam, which starts Friday.

They were hired by the city this spring to kick off the first of three Envision Financial-sponsored shows at Town Centre Plaza.

And Fernandes said they’ll start the series with familiar popular and country tunes to get the crowd on their feet and singing along. “We’ve got an extensive catalogue,” he said. “Footloose, Keith Urban, Roy Orbinson — you name it, we play it.”

Programming city parks with summer sounds is now common in the Tri-Cities, with the aim to bring more people into civic spaces.

In Port Moody, Summer Sundays Concerts began 11 years ago when resident George Balzer saw Rocky Point Park nearly deserted on the day off.

He approached city hall to see if he could organize shows featuring his favourite genres: blues, soul, funk and reggae. Since then, thousands of people have come out to hear the music from top Metro Vancouver bands.

As well, Balzer and his team have collected more than $20,000 from guests for the Crossroads Hospice Society, which has a hospice in PoMo’s Inlet Centre.

Sponsorship has been key for drawing out the visitors. Like last year, Balzer has secured four main companies — PCT, K+S Potash Canada, TD Bank and Open Road  — plus two publicity partners (Phoenix Truck and Crane and Flavelle Oceanfront Development) and The Tri-City News as media partner to pay for the popular acts.

Balzer expects to have even larger audiences in 2017 with the opening of the Evergreen Extension, which has a stop nearby at Moody Centre. “It makes it a lot easier for people from all over Metro Vancouver to get here,” Balzer said. “We’re expecting big crowds at Rocky Point Park. That location, there are not too many like it.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Tri-Cities, Port Coquitlam has programmed Leigh Square Community Arts Village (beside PoCo city hall) with performances on Saturdays as well as Sundays.

The city offers a mix of performances at the bandshell — including dance — and encourages hometown acts at Village Vibe and Music in the Square.

As well, for a Canada 150 party next month, Delhi 2 Dublin will grace the Leigh stage in PoCo while Bif Naked will headline Coquitlam’s Kaleidoscope fest,.

[email protected]

 

THE LINEUP

Summer Concert Series

Town Centre Plaza, Coquitlam, Fridays 7 to 9 p.m.

July 14: Joe Fernandes Band, Megan Twist

Aug. 11: Olivia Penalva, Andrew Allen

Sept. 1: Clavinova Nights, Bruce James Orchestra

 

Village Vibe

Leigh Square, PoCo, Saturdays 2 to 4 p.m.

July 22: Lincoln Street Union, Dee Frost and the Heaters

July 29: Youth Music Project, Crossroads Coffeehouse

Aug. 5: Tri-City School of Music

Aug. 12: Asi Somos, Western Jaguar

 

Music in the Square

Leigh Square, PoCo, Sundays 2 to 4 p.m.

July 16: Karen Fowlie, Copper Cove Road

July 23: Blackthorn

July 30: Swamp City

Aug. 6: Rumba Calzada

Aug. 13: 5 on a String

Aug. 27: Ten Thousand Wolves

 

Summer Sundays

Rocky Point Park, Port Moody, Sundays 2  to 4 p.m.

July 16: Mr. Boogie Woogie, Incognito and Friends

July 21, 22 and 23: Ribfest performers

July 30: Nigel Mack & The Blues Attack

Aug. 6: The Rain City Six Band, Legendary Powder Blues

Aug. 13: R&B Allstars

Aug. 20: So Tight Band

Aug. 27: Brickhouse

Sept. 3: Wailin’ Walker

 

Kaleidoscope

Town Centre Park Plaza, Coquitlam, Aug. 12

2 p.m.: Jennifer Hayes

3:30 p.m.: West My Friend

5 p.m.: Derrival

6:30 p.m.: The Matinée

7:30 p.m.: The Paperboys 

8:30 p.m.: Bif Naked

 

Canada 150

Leigh Square, PoCo, Aug. 26 

2 p.m.: Jodi Proznick Quartet

3:10 p.m.: Alex Wells

4 p.m.: the Full Spin

5:10 p.m.: Atomic Swing Vancouver

7 p.m.: Delhi 2 Dublin

 

[email protected]