Parkfest favorites to open 30th season

Opening Parkfest on Tuesday, June 6 will be Mike Van Rensselaer and Friends, featuring (from left) Cliff Gammon, Rick Smock, Bill Lorton and Van Rensselaer himself.

Courtesy photo

When the Greencastle Civic League opens the 30th season of Parkfest, it will be with some quite familiar faces taking to the stage of the Robe-Ann Park bandshell.

Mike Van Rensselaer and Friends will open the festivities at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, followed by the Tad Robinson Band in the second set.

Making his 30th Parkfest appearance, folk singer-songwriter Van Rensselaer will be joined this year by Bill Lorton on fiddle, Rick Smock on acoustic guitar and Cliff Gammon on bass.

Leading his band in their usual variety of soul blues will be singer and harmonica player Tad Robinson during the second set of the opening night of Parkfest on Tuesday, June 6.

Courtesy photo

The quartet will cover ground from James F. Hanley and Ballard MacDonald to Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, as well as throwing in some of what they call hillbilly jazz.

Van Rensselaer has brought his banjo and guitar to local venues for six decades, singing songs and spinning stories, while Lorton, Smock, and Gammon have been fixtures in the music scene for nearly as long.

As he always does for his Parkfest performances, the former Greencastle Middle School teacher will invite children to the front of the Robe Ann bandshell to help him sing a song. This year it will be Pete Seeger’s classic, “Abiyoyo.”

From his NYC roots and his Indiana and Chicago musical upbringing, Severn Records recording artist Robinson has caught the attention of the scene with his 10 Blues Music Award nominations and his recordings for the Severn label as well as his earlier work on Delmark Records, and on Rounder Records as a member of the roots rock band, Big Shoulders.

Robinson tours widely in the U.S. and has played in more than 20 countries worldwide with performances at some of the most important international blues festivals.

With harmonica chops influenced by Sonny Boy Williamson and Junior Parker and a vocal style inspired by Otis Redding, Syl Johnson and Al Green, among others, Robinson ranks as one of the most unique and talented bandleaders in the international blues and soul communities.

The opening night will be one of two family nights at Parkfest, which runs each Tuesday in June and July, with the exception of Tuesday, July 4. Opening night will include free popcorn, a bounce house, chalk activities and boxed dinner for sale from The Whisk.

Attendees are reminded to enter and exit the park from Wood Street due to construction on Bloomington Street.

Additional Parkfest shows will include:

• June 13: Chris Wurster, The Hauskatz

• June 20: Gus Moon, Peace Among the Plants

• June 27: Conner Barcus, Black Market Vinyl

• July 11: Justin Monts, Perpetual Journey

• July 18: Him&Her, Danny Martin and the Danocasters

• July 25 (family night): Blue Flame and Bluebird Collective

The Civic League appreciates support to help pay the artists as well as support its other initiatives. Anyone interested in helping to sponsor Parkfest may visit https://greencastlecivicleague.org/donate/ or send a check to Greencastle Civic League, P.O. Box 367, Greencastle, IN 46135.