Music at Sky Park 2017

It’s time to put all of those winter time thoughts of rain — mudslides — more rain — road closures — still more rain — flooding and, oh yeah, rain, rain, rain behind us and think about the sunny days to come.

In fact, let’s just skip spring and get right to summer. And if it’s summer we’re talking about, you know that means Music at Skypark!

Kiwanis of the Valleys invites you to join us in supporting the award-winning Scotts Valley Schools music program by becoming a sponsor of our 9th annual Music at Skypark concert series.

Through the generosity of local businesses, both large and small, Music at Skypark has raised over $120,000 to help keep music alive and well in our schools. In an era where funding for the arts and music has been drastically cut, the dollars raised through Music at Skypark have been essential to keeping music education in place. In fact, under the guidance of long time director Beth Hollenbeck, the program has flourished as never before!

The Scotts Valley School District has received three Best Communities for Music Education designations from the National Association of Music Merchants, and is one of only three winners in the entire country of The NAMM Foundation’s video award program. This recognition entitled the district to a multi-day visit by the John Lennon Educational Tour bus to the Scotts Valley High School campus early this year!

Music at Skypark remains an admission free event. While Kiwanis Club members are happy to once again donate the hundreds of volunteer hours it takes to promote and stage MASP, it is the financial generosity of our sponsors and vendors that is the key to its continued success. Every dollar raised above the cost of our very minimal overhead goes directly to the music program.

The free community-wide “Music at Skypark” concert series returns for its 9th summer season on the last Sundays of July, August and September (July 30, August 27 and September 24). All concerts run from 2:30 to 6:00 pm at Skypark in Scotts Valley. Two bands will perform at each concert, and local businesses will offer food and other concessions for sale, with all net proceeds going to the schools.

We hope for 2017 to be the biggest and best MASP season ever! We’ve re-signed the most popular bands. We’ve lined up special activities for kids. We are gearing up for our advertising campaign. Now all we need is you!

Sunday July 30 Concert: Headlining our first concert of the season is The Houserockers, one of the premier classic rock bands of the Central Coast. This 10-member band with its huge horn-driven and foot-stomping sound (winner of “Best Cover Band in the Bay Area” and KFOX’s “Last Band Standing”) will return to Music at Skypark for the 8th time! Opening for the second time will be The Johnny Neri Band, a four-piece high-energy “classic rock’n roll soul dance band.” This will be a heck of a live show.

Sunday August 27 Concert: The Coffis Brothers & The Mountain Men return by very popular demand to headline this concert. This accomplished band with local roots boasts an extensive repertoire of original rock and blues tunes with simple, honest lyrics backed by the brothers’ blend of folk, blues, R&B and rock. Opening will be Music at Skypark newcomers Los High Tops with Chantilly Lace Vincent, featuring their uniquely American rockabilly and surfabilly sound. The energy will get you on your feet!

Sunday September 24 Concert: Two of Music at Skypark’s most popular veteran bands headline the September concert: The Joint Chiefs start things off with their totally danceable fusion of funk, acid jazz and classic R&B. Extra Large follows with funky grooves rooted in blends of funk, blues, reggae riffs and Latin beats. Both bands have teamed up to produce Music at Skypark’s best-attended concerts in the past. It just wouldn’t be Music at Skypark without these two headliners together!

Again this year: entertainment for kids! Visit www.KiwanisoftheValleys.org for details or contact Mike Stewart at (831) 334-8899 or Jim Melehan at jimbofx@msn.com. Various sponsorship levels are available. Be sure to calendar these 2017 concert dates now!

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Music at Skypark is all about community spirit and goodwill. If your business has not sponsored before, will you please join us? And if you’ve sponsored in previous years, we thank you and hope you’ll be sponsoring again this year (and maybe even consider doing so at a higher level). We look forward to speaking to you about your participation in Music at Skypark 2017! Feel free to contact Kiwanis MASP organizers Mike Stewart at 831-334-8899 or Jim Melehan at jimbofx@msn.com.