Since it’s impossible to be in two places at one time, music lovers will just have to take their pick as another Concerts in the Park series opens with soulful, psychedelic-groove band Connectarine on Wednesday, July 16 at Island Park in Springfield.
The female-fronted rock, bluegrass, and original string band has played the Oregon Country Fair and at many hot spots throughout the Eugene-Springfield area. Last year they played at Swallowtail during the Springfield Block Party.
Meanwhile, at about the same time on July 16, at Bohemia Park in Cottage Grove, the city’s summer concert series welcomes the Jessie Leigh Band, one of the highlight events on this year’s schedule.
Jessie Leigh, from Estacada, Ore. (pop. 5,421) opened for Alabama at the Oregon State Fair on July 4, 2023. She has also been the opening act for the likes of Tanya Tucker, Kenny Chesney, Morgan Wallen, and Luke Combs.
She hasn’t just dreamed of becoming a country music star – she has already had a healthy taste of that dream.
“Nothing can compare with performing and sharing something I’m passionate about with others,” Leigh says on her website. “Nothing compares to the feeling I get when I see a song impact someone on an emotional level. It’s also pretty great to see people out line dancing or rockin’ out to a song I’m singing.” .
Of course, the most popular show this year – just as it is every year – will be the Eugene Symphony, which will play their annual back-to-back outdoor summer concerts. On Sunday, July 27, they will play at Eugene’s Cuthbert Amphitheater from 8-9:30 p.m. Then they’ll take their act to Cottage Grove on Monday, July 28 from 7:30-9 p.m.
The Springfield series lasts for only three weeks, with shows every Wednesday and Thursday.
Admission is $3 or is free with a non-perishable food donation. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and shows begin at 6. There will be two sets each evening, with the concerts ending around 8:30. Food, beer and wine will be available, or you can bring your own picnic lunch and sealed beverages. You also might want to bring a blanket or a lawn chair.
The Springfield series is hosted by Willamalane Park and Recreation District and presented by Northwest Community Credit Union. The Cottage Grove-area Chamber of Commerce member businesses make their annual summer series possible.
