McLean Summer Concerts in the Park Begin Sunday

One of the joys of living in McLean: the summer concerts in McLean Central Park. They start Sunday.

Be transported through time and enjoy a blast from the past with the music of this year’s Summer Sunday Concerts in the Park.

Beginning this Sunday, July 3, at 5 p.m., the Alden Theatre will present the first of five free concerts at the gazebo in McLean Central Park. The theme of this season’s program is a retrospective of American music ranging from the 1920s through the 1980s. Each week, the featured group will perform music from a different decade.

Sarah Schallem, performing arts director of the Alden Theatre, is very excited about this season’s program. She said, "This is the 10^th anniversary of the Sunday Summer Concerts in the Park. … Our audience was the inspiration in programming this summer’s series as a sort of musical time machine. We have such diversity in the ages of our audience that we wanted to reflect that in the music that we present. ... It should be fun for everyone.”

You'll need to bring your own blanket or chair. Or just settle down in the grass.

Here is a list of the upcoming performances:

Sunday, July 3 – Furnace Mountain will perform old-time Appalachian music, reminiscent of the film, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”

Sunday, July 10 – The U.S.A. Canteen will perform a tribute to the Andrews Sisters and the swingin’ songs of the 1940s.

Sunday, July 17 – The Nutty Beaux will take your back to the birth of rock with their swing, rockabilly and jump blues.

Sunday, July 24 – Rock on with Zoso and their ultimate Led Zeppelin experience. This group emulates the iconic sound the legendary '70s band.

Sunday, July 31 – The Reagan Years – Remember Culture Club,Van Halen, Borderline and Mr. Roboto? This group takes you back to great boppin’ '80s tunes and the big hair you wish you could forget.

One of the supporters for this year’s concert series is the New Dominion Women’s Club (NDWC). According to Stephanie Arthur, president of NDWC, it is a grassroots organization of women from the McLean area whose mission is to work together to make our community a better place through both financial contributions and through hands-on volunteering.

Arthur said, “The NDWC is a huge supporter of all things, ‘McLean.’ We love the fact that the Sunday Concert Series brings neighbors together outdoors to get to know each other better and to just have fun.”

For more information: www.aldentheatre.org