By CALEB FOX
Staff Reporter
As the summer ends, so does the Concert in the Park series put on by the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce and the City of Oakdale. On Friday, Aug. 30 at 6:30 p.m., hundreds of community members gathered at Dorada Park to listen to the upbeat Fabulous Blue Notes with their mix of blues, jazz, classic rock, and country music. Alongside the music, vendors sold food and other booths provided resources and education for all attending.
House of Beef, Seed2Cup Coffee, Radius Energy, Primerica Life Insurance Company, and many other vendors set up for the night to enjoy the finale of the Concert in the Park series.
Primerica Life Insurance Company representative Leo Suarez Jr. said their primary goal was to “educate people on their financial needs.” This allows – especially younger audiences – to understand the importance of investing and how being knowledgeable on finances can impact their lives and wallets.
The local Seed2Cup Coffee business attended every Concert in the Park program offered on Friday nights this summer and sold food and drinks for attendees.
“Seed2Cup goes out there to support anything local, and since we do music here, it is a great way to support local artists and a great way to keep their dreams alive,” said Alan Allen, owner of Seed 2CupCoffee. The coffee shop is at 700 E. F St., Oakdale, and focuses on supporting Oakdale through community events hosted by themselves and others.
“The concerts are a great way to get people outside and be active in the community,” an attendee of the Aug. 30 Concert in the Park said.
As far as the eye could see on Friday night, a mix of blankets and folding chairs covered Dorada Park, lending truth to the attendee’s statement.
At the beginning of the summer, Bri Swan, Oakdale Chamber of Commerce Membership and Marketing Coordinator, said that the Concert in the Park series allowed for “the coming together of the community,” and that was still seen at the end of the summer with the Aug. 30 finale.
Feature band for the finale, the Fabulous Blue Notes, included performers Rick Jones, Adrian Uribe, Lonney Hallum, and Armondo Osuna, and they certainly played the perfect music for people to enjoy as they gathered together.
And as enjoyable as the Friday night concerts are, organizers point out that the series is not just about playing music and eating food at the park; it is about showcasing local musicians and small businesses that help keep the City of Oakdale a vibrant, fun and forward-looking community.
