Marking 25: Grand Rapids Symphony celebrates the silver anniversary of the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops

Grand Rapids Symphony’s John Varineau and Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk discuss the history of the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops. (WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Not many can say they have attended every single D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops concerts, but Grand Rapids Symphony Associate Conductor John Varineau can.

In the past 24 years, Varineau has not always conducted, sometimes he was helping behind the scenes, making sure the canons go off at just the right moment between at the end of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.

“Wait, who is going to fire the canons this year?” Varineau stated in a recent “Locally Entertaining” podcast. “I’m going to be conducting this year. We’re going to have to find someone.”

Rest assure that there will be someone to fire the canons — and the fireworks — as the Grand Rapids Symphony celebrates the 25th anniversary of the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops by recreating its inaugural Picnic Pops concert July 11 and 12.

Grand Rapids Symphony Associate Conductor John Varineau will lead the opening D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops July 11 and 12. (Supplied)

According to Grand Rapids Symphony Senior Manager of Communications and Media Relations Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk, the Classical Fireworks concerts are a tradition to Picnic Pops, performed every year.

This year Varineau will lead the orchestra in such patriotic melodies as John Williams’ Liberty Fanfare, John Phillip Sousa’s The Stars and Stripes Forever, and an Armed Forces Salute along with music by Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein. Local pianist Rich Ridenour performs Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Grand Rapids Symphony.

The 25th annual summer season continues in July and August with three more shows over three weeks beginning with Here Comes the Sun: A Tribute to the Beatles at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 18-19, followed by Dancing in the Street: Music of Motown and More at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 25-26.

Capping off the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops, for one-night only, is the special event Nashville: The Songwriters, Their Stories. The Symphony. Starring the Music City Hit-Makers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2.

Gates at Cannonsburg Ski Area, 6800 Cannonsburg Rd. NE, open at 5:45 p.m. each night for picnicking and pre-concert entertainment, including free, kid-friendly activities such as face painting, crafts, and a musical instrument petting zoo.

VIP Parking Passes for the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops are available for $12. Go online to GRSymphony.org/vip for details.

Pre-concert activités include the Musical Instrument Petting Zoo where children can get up close to the instruments. (Supplied)

Ticket Options and Prices

3-Concert Series and Flexpass Packages

Save up to 30 percent off single-ticket prices with a 3-Concert Series subscription for any seat or save up to 15% off single-ticket lawn seats with a 6-ticket Flexpass.

The 3-Concert Series subscription is good for any seats to Classical Fireworks: Salute to America; Here Comes the Sun: A Tribute to the Beatles; and Dancing in the Streets: The Music of Motown. Subscriptions for lawn seats are $42 for adults or $15 for children ages 2-18. Children younger than age 2 are admitted for free. Subscriptions for general admission chair seating are $75. Tickets for an individual reserved table seat are $144 or $1,152 to reserve an entire table for eight.

The Flexpass 6-Pack offers six lawn tickets that can be used in any combination, on any concert night, for Classical Fireworks: Salute to America; Here Comes the Sun: A Tribute to the Beatles; and Dancing in the Streets: The Music of Motown. Flexpasses are $102 for adults. Flexpasses cannot be used for the special event in August.

There is an array of seating options available from table seating to lawn seating. (Supplied)

Individual Concert Tickets

All single tickets for all concerts are $5 more on the day of the show.

Lawn tickets for all concerts are $20 for adults ($25 day of show) or $5 for ages 2-18 ($10 day of show).

Other individual tickets are $30 for reserved chairs ($35 the day of the show), $51 for individual table seats ($56 the day of the show), and $408 for a full table of eight ($448 day of show).

MySymphony360 members can attend for $15 ($20 day of show). Active duty, reserve and National Guard members of the U.S. Military may purchase up to two tickets for $15 each ($20 day of show). Children younger than age 2 are admitted for free.

Members of the community receiving financial assistance from the State of Michigan or U.S. Military households can receive up to four free tickets through the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Symphony Scorecard.

How to Get Tickets

The 3-Concert Series, Flexpass, and individual table and chair tickets can be purchased through the GRS box office by calling 616-454-9451 ext. 4 weekdays; or in person at 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 100; or online at GRSymphony.org.

Tickets also are available at the gate at the night of the concert for an additional $5. Group discounts are available for groups of 10 or more people by calling 616-454-9451.