The Sunset Concert Festival and Farmers’ Market will celebrate its grand opening this Friday at O’Donnell Lake in Saint Charles, featuring a performance by the local bluegrass band, the Port Tobacco Pickers. The event kicks off at 4 p.m., with violin-accompanied dancing by students of The Studio Cooperative at 6:30 p.m., and the concert starting at 7 p.m. All events are weather permitting.
Classic cars, cartoon superheroes, and Pinch from the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs will be on hand, and Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza restaurant will be distributing dessert samples from their delicious menu. Various local artists will have their works on display and for sale at booths along the boardwalk, and there will be performances by local dancers from The Studio Cooperative, a Saint Charles-based business whose instructors and staff provide a safe, modern and clean facility for the study of Ballet, Pilates, and Yoga.
“From local farmers to local artists to local entertainment, the Sunset Concert Festival is designed to celebrate the best of Southern Maryland,” said Craig Renner, vice president for community and public affairs. “For several weeks people have been enjoying the market and the concerts, and this event will make more people realize that the best way to start their weekend is at the Sunset Concert Festival.”
This week’s featured band is the Port Tobacco Pickers. According to their website, "the Port Tobacco Pickers (are) a seven piece bluegrass band, with a twist, that hails from Southern Maryland. Sets with this band cover traditional bluegrass favorites as well as the Southern rock standard, an Irish whiskey tune, and train songs both familiar and old. Three finger banjo picking, mandolin tremolos and runs, and acoustic guitar form the backbone, backed up by a pulsing electric bass, bass dulcimer, and twelve-string guitar, all punctuated with melodic flute leads. With their eclectic instruments, and twists on even the old standards, the energy of this down-home group is sure to entertain and keep the audience on its toes.” For more information on the band visit http://www.ptpickers.com or visit them on Facebook.
The Sunset Concert Festival and Farmers’ Market will be held every Friday through Labor Day weekend. The farmer’s market, featuring locally-grown produce from farmers around Southern Maryland, is open every Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Concerts begin at 7 p.m. O’Donnell Lake is at the intersection of Saint Patrick’s Drive and Smallwood Drive in Saint Charles, and includes Boston’s restaurant and the brand new Hilton Garden Inn.
The Sunset Concert Festival is a summer-long arts festival sponsored by Saint Charles,, the Charles County Arts Alliance, and the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission. Featuring a variety of local artists and musical genres, the concerts are being held every Friday night beginning at 7 p.m. through Labor Day weekend.
Bands perform in the promenade area of the boardwalk, which is in the center of the property. Plenty of free parking is available, and concert goers are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs for seating. Coolers are permitted, but alcohol and glass containers are not permitted. Concerts will end at dusk, and all performances are free and open to the public. The O’Donnell Lake Restaurant Park is located at the intersections of Saint Patrick’s Drive and Smallwood Drive West in Saint Charles, across from the movie theater and the Saint Charles Towne Center.
For more information call Craig Renner at 301-843-8600, ext. 5211 or via email , or visit us on Facebook at Sunset Concert Series.
Directions: From Route 301, turn onto Smallwood Drive WeSaint Go through two lights, and O’Donnell Lake will be on your right, just past Sears Automotive. For directions using internet-based map programs, use the address 10440 O’Donnell Place.