Summer Concert Series Returns to Lake Poway and Old Poway Park

Tuesday is the first day of summer, which means summer concerts will soon return to and .

In fact, HELP! Beatles Tribute Band will kick-off the Sharp Memorial Hospital Summer Concert Series at Lake Poway on Sunday.

“It’s a free concert in the park, which gets people outdoors and introduces them to Lake Poway if they’ve never been here before,” said Tony Sholl, the senior park ranger, at Lake Poway.

Sholl said the four-member band has participated in the Summer Concert Series for about five years.

“They’ve been one of the biggest draws,” Sholl said.

Whereas bands that perform original music attract 500-1,500 attendees, HELP! and other tribute bands attract about 3,000 attendees, Sholl said.

“We’re hoping that we get that for every concert this year,” Sholl said. “This year, we’ve decided to go with pretty much all tribute bands. They seem to have a bigger draw than some of the other bands that we’ve had.”

Other cover and tribute bands set to perform this summer include a Neil Diamond tribute band, a Jimmy Buffet tribute band, a band that covers '50s and '60s doo-wop and Motown music and a band that covers country and western swing.

“When you get music that people know and grew up with, they seem to come out in bigger numbers,” Sholl said.

Other local bands that will perform this summer include Pomerado Community Band and Scottish and Celtic folk group, Susan Craig Winsberg and Blackwaterside.

The Summer Concert Series is sponsored by the City of Poway, Sharp Memorial Hospital, Marrokal Design and Remodeling, Children’s Physicians Medical Group and Country Montessori School of Poway.

All concerts are free and begin at 5:30 p.m. Parking costs $5 for non-residents at Lake Poway, but there will be a free shuttle from .

“It’s just a big, fun, family event,” Sholl said. “Everybody seems to have a good time with it.”

2011 Summer Concert Series Schedule:

June 26—Lake Poway—HELP! (Beatles Tribute Band)

July 10—Lake Poway—Diamond is Forever! (Neil Diamond Tribute Band)

July 17—Old Poway Park—Susan Craig Winsberg and Blackwaterside

July 24—Lake Poway—The Corvettes ('50s and '60s doo-wop and Motown)

July 31—Old Poway Park—Dave Deker and The Swing West Band

Aug. 7—Lake Poway—CoastRiders (Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band)

Aug. 14—Old Poway Park—Pomerado Community Band

In other arts news:

• The 4S Dance Academy and the San Elijo Dance and Music Academy will take the stage this week at the for the 2011 Graduation Performance Recital. Concerts begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Tickets cost $14-$18 for adults, $12-$16 for seniors and $10-$12 for children. The Poway Center for the Performing Arts is located at 15498 Espola Road.
• On Saturday, the Ramona-Julian Academy of Dance will offer two performances at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts. The 24th annual dance concert will feature 300-400 dancers showcasing a variety of dance styles. Performances will take place at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets cost $17-$25 for general admission and $8 for infants. To purchase tickets, call 760-789-1711.
•  closes after this weekend at . The comedy, which is an original play by a local playwright, is about the important stages people experience throughout their lifetimes. The show premiered on June 10 and runs through June 26. Performances of the play take place on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at PowPAC, located at 13250 Poway Road. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $13 for students, seniors and active military.