The East Lansing Summer Concert Series is underway. The first concert took place Friday, June 29. Concerts will run through the next two months, ending with a performance by the Sea Cruisers on Aug. 31.
All concerts will take place from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Ann Street Plaza located at the corner of Albert Avenue and M.A.C. Avenue.
Heather Surface, the environmental stewardship coordinator for the city of East Lansing, said that the concert series first started in 2005 and features exclusively Michigan based groups.
"The bands are all from Michigan, we try to have local bands, but we also want to have some diversity in bands," Surface said.
Surface said that it's important to offer a platform for bands in the area because it shows that, "the city is supportive of the community."
According to Surface, Starfarm is one of the biggest headliners for this year's series, with some of their previous performances in the summer concert series eclipsing 500 attendees.
East Lansing City Councilmember Shanna Draheim said this event does a good job of attracting people to East Lansing during the summer months.
"I think it brings people to our downtown, I think it adds to the quality of life for residents who can, you know, walk downtown or ride their bikes or drive downtown," Draheim said. "I think it just adds to the vibrancy of our community."
East Lansing Mayor Pro-Tem Erik Altmann said that putting on concerts featuring local artists "builds community."
"Everybody likes to support your locals," Altmann said. "It's a great thing to be able to do in the summer when people want to be out and about and meet each other at these local concerts, I think it's a great thing."
Altmann said that hosting summer gatherings such as this concert series is also important to the businesses in East Lansing, especially in the summer when many MSU students are home.
"Organizing events to activate the city during the summer is I think a really important function for local businesses," Altmann said.
Below is the schedule for the East Lansing Summer Concert Series. According to the city of East Lansing, concerts will be cancelled in the event of severe weather.
Fridays
July 13 – Starfarm
July 20 – The Aimcriers
July 27 – Tell Yo Mama
Aug. 3 – Gemini
Aug. 10 – The Founding
Aug. 17 – Earthwork Music Presents: The Clean Water Campaign
for Michigan featuring Seth Bernard, Gifts or Creatures, Libby DeCamp, Will See and Spirits Rising
Aug. 24 – The Banana Migration
Aug. 31 – Sea Cruisers
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