Concerts in the Park Series Celebrates 10th Anniversary Each summer, people from all over the world attend Brigham Young Historic Park in downtown Salt Lake City on Tuesday and Friday evenings for weekly concerts. From family bands to barbershop quartets and Irish step to Polynesian dance, the range of genres performed in the Concerts in the Park series continues to entertain audiences as it enters the last month of its 10th-anniversary season. The 200 chairs set up at its first season have now increased to about 600. Many audience members bring their own blankets or lawn chairs—some families even bring a picnic—to the park, which has a large lawn, vegetable garden, and waterwheel that spins through City Creek. The attendance at each concert ranges from about 500 to as many as 3,200. “There is a special spirit there, and it's a wholesome atmosphere,” said Marilyn Lorensen, program coordinator for the Church's Temple Square Performances. Concerts in the Park began in 1996 as a way to provide uplifting, family-oriented entertainment in the newly completed Brigham Young Historic Park on the southeast corner of State Street and Second Avenue. The park's property was once part of the farm that belonged to Brigham Young. Brigham Young, directed by the Lord, told the Camp of Israel in 1847, “If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving” (D&C 136:28). And music, singing, dancing, and an opening prayer are a part of Concerts in the Park. Many tourists visiting Salt Lake City attend the free concerts. Audience members at recent concerts have come from states as far away as Alaska and Florida and countries such as Brazil, Germany, England, Australia, Canada, and Mexico. “It's just a good, fun place for them to come,” Sister Lorensen continued. “They not only feel the spirit of the Square, but then they can come listen to a park concert and feel the spirit there too.” All the artists volunteer their time to perform at the park in an hour-long concert. They are selected after submitting a recording of their music and some background information. The majority of the performers are Latter-day Saints. “It's usually not only a lot of fun for the audience, but it's a lot of fun for the artists,” Sister Lorensen said. She said many artists want to return for future performances. Songwriter and musician Peter Breinholt has performed at Concerts in the Park several times. The first year he was invited to perform, about 300 people attended. “I enjoyed it, so I went back again the next year,” he said. After a few more years, attendance at the park for his concert reached 3,000. He attributes the increase to the popularity of the concert series. He said not just the music, but all elements of being downtown, relaxed, in a park, with family in the summer combine to make the concerts successful. Breinholt said, “Most cities have some sort of cultural traditions…and it is just kind of neat to see the Church throw their hat in that ring.” Raymond M. and Norene Emerson were involved in Concerts in the Park as Church service missionaries when the concerts first began. They helped set up chairs at the first concerts, greeted guests, and handed out fliers detailing the Concerts in the Park season. “We became very dedicated to it,” Sister Emerson said. “We've seen it grow and now it's a tremendous success.” As the audience support grew, so did the need for volunteers. “We personally invited helpers for two or three years, and then we started getting a lot of help,” Brother Emerson said. About 10 Conference Center ushers were assigned to help with crowds that grew to more than 3,000 at some of the concerts. The Church's Physical Facilities Department staging crew began to set up and take down the chairs. Another challenge was coordinating the sound system, which is provided by the Audiovisual Department, to the needs of the performers without overpowering the apartments nearby. In the beginning, if a concert was rained out, it was cancelled, but now the concerts move to the Assembly Hall. “The support has been growing constantly from its early beginnings,” Sister Emerson said. The concerts run June through August each year, with the concerts beginning at 8:00 p.m. in June and July and 7:30 p.m. in August. To celebrate its 10th season, Concerts in the Park has included five groups that performed in its first season: the Smith Brothers Trio, Pizzicato Strings, Creative Generation Musical Theatre, Gottfredson Family Singers, and the Hinkle Family Band. For a complete schedule of concerts, see the calendar on LDS.org.