Ninth Year of Summer Series Featured 12 Performances in Downtown Lakewood
On a dozen occasions this summer, Downtown Lakewood took on a different persona. Always a bustling commercial district, the Detroit Avenue corridor now brimmed with family gatherings, dancing children, melodious tunes and a cheerful atmosphere fit for celebrating the weekend’s arrival.
The 2018 Front Porch Concert Series concluded last Friday evening, September 7, when The Light of Day Band performed the 12th and final show on the front steps of Lakewood Public Library. Sponsored by Bentley Wealth Management of Raymond James and presented by LakewoodAlive, this popular summer concert series drew approximately 4,000 attendees to Downtown Lakewood for performances held on consecutive Fridays from June 22 through the first week of September.
A staple of Lakewood’s summer since 2010, the Front Porch Concert Series adds vibrancy and an enhanced sense of community to Lakewood’s urban core, inducing smiles and foot-tapping among guests from all walks of life. Each week showcased a different style of family-friendly music while Lakewoodites and visitors enjoyed an entertaining evening at an open-air venue.
The 2018 installment of the Front Porch Concert Series featured many memorable performances and a remarkable variety of musical genres, ranging from rock-n-roll and jazz to folk and swing. With 12 total performances this summer, the series has now hosted more than 80 concerts since its inception.
“On behalf of LakewoodAlive and Lakewood Public Library, thank you to the musicians, sponsors, concert-goers and volunteers who helped make the 2018 Front Porch Concert Series such a tremendous success,” said Ian Andrews, Executive Director of LakewoodAlive. “This series has evolved into a major family entertainment option within our downtown district, creating a Lakewood summer tradition that supports our dedicated mission to foster and sustain vibrant neighborhoods within our city.”
LakewoodAlive’s 2018 Front Porch Concert Series featured 12 free performances. (OyVegh Photography)
LakewoodAlive thanks the following talented musicians and bands for performing as part of the 2018 Front Porch Concert Series: Becky Boyd & The Groove Train (Week 1), Lightnin Rod & The Thunderbolts (Week 2), The Rough & Tumble (Week 3), The Lakewood Music Collective (Week 4), Mimi Arden (Week 5), Drumplay (Week 6), The Corner Store Funk Band (Week 7), FireSide (Week 8), Mr. Eric’s Music (Week 9), Ernie Krivda (Week 10), The Chris Vance Quartet (Week 11) and The Light of Day Band (Week 12).
The 2018 Front Porch Concert Series is generously supported by the following sponsors:
Title Sponsor:
Bentley Wealth Management of Raymond James
Encore Sponsors:
Cuyahoga Arts & Culture | Cleveland Clinic Lakewood Family Health Center
The Exchange | Lakewood Public Library | Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC)
Harmony Sponsors:
City of Lakewood | The Lakewood Music Collective | lion and blue