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News & Features
From the Idyllwild Town Crier weekly newspaper, 06.25.09 edition.
Summer
concerts open July 2
By Marshall Smith, Staff
Reporter
Put on your dancing shoes and get ready to swing and jitterbug as Ken
Dahleen and his Big Band Staff open the 10th anniversary edition of the
Idyllwild Summer Community Concert Series (ISCS) at 6:30 p.m. Thursday,
July 2, at the Idyllwild Community Center (ICC) site.
Returning for their eighth season, Dahleen and his band plan a special
tribute to the great clarinetist, trombonist and trumpeter legends of
the big band era — Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Benny Goodman and Pete
Fountain. “The highlight of the evening,” said a very enthusiastic
Dahleen, “will be the big swing dance from 8 to 9 that will conclude
the concert. We have a good dance floor and the music will be sizzling.”
Dahleen and the ISCS board have successfully crossed many procedural
hurdles to get to the point of staging this 10th season at a new venue.
Many of those hurdles, especially the county permitting process and
lagging fund-raising, might have caused a less committed promoter to
cancel the series. Now, with the county permit in pocket, with the
stage in place, the stage cover going up, the lighting coming in, the
site cleared and cleaned, Dahleen’s enthusiasm is both understandable
and well-earned.
Without the hard work of Dahleen, his board, the Idyllwild Community
Recreation Council (ICRC) and a host of volunteers, this community
event would not be happening. So, get out those dancing shoes. It’s
time to celebrate, swing, jump and jive.
And since the series remains, according to Dahleen’s latest estimate,
about $10,000 to $12,000 in the red, it’s also time to drop money in
the bucket when it’s passed around at each of the concerts in the
summer series.
Dahleen noted that two new concert sponsors signed on since the last
article — the Pine Cove Property Owners Association and Idyllwild Inn —
and that more might step up as the series progresses. “The excitement
is building,” said Dahleen. “I can feel it. My board is really excited.”
Dahleen noted that handicapped parking would be available onsite, with
an entrance for handicapped where the Chamber of Commerce office was
previously. Also, the ICC land donor will allow parking on the strip of
land he retains along Highway 243.
Riverside County 3rd District Supervisor Jeff Stone is slated to give
opening remarks at the July 2 concert. Doug Austin is the series’
master of ceremonies.
Ken Dahleen and his
Big Band Staff
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