By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org
Continuing concerns about community health and safety due to COVID-19 has brought organizers to cancel two of the area’s biggest outdoor summer concert events.
The Grand Rapids Symphony officially announced last night that it had cancelled all Symphony events through July 31. This includes the D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops at Cannounsburg Ski area, which runs during the month of July, and the July Patriotic Pops concert at Grand Rapids’ Ah-Nab-Awen Park. The Patriotic Pops concert has been rescheduled for July 14, 2021.
This morning, the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park officialy announced it has cancelled its 2020 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts series.
Grand Rapids Symphony
“It’s with a heavy heart that the Grand Rapids Symphony has had to cancel this summer’s D&W Fresh Market Picnic Pops at Cannonsburg,” said Principal Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt. “We are so looking forward to the day we can safely return to live performances and large public gatherings, and until then, we wish everyone good health and safety, and send our sincerest gratitude for your continuing support.”
Grand Rapids Symphony President and CEO Mary Tuuk added that “While our currently planned July concerts are cancelled, we are thrilled to be able to to give the gift of music back to the Western Michigan community in August through innovative ways.”
Symphony officials stated they are looking to offer community concerts with the format being determined by health and safety guidelines. Since March, the Grand Rapids Symphony musicians and members of the entire GRS family have continued to release virtual performances on the From Our Home to Yours seres on Facebook and YouTube. (See video above.) More than 40 videos currently are available.
All exchanges and refunds for the Picnic Pops must be made through the original point of purchase. If you purchased tickets through Ticketmaster, you must contact Ticketmaster regarding your tickets. For the Grand Rapids Symphony, you may contact the office by mail, Ticket Exchange, Grand Rapids Symphony, 300 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suit 100, Grand Rapids, 49503; email tickets@grsymphony.org; or phone 616-454-9451, ext. 4. The GRS office will remain closed indefinitely with the staff working remotely to help patrons.
For more information, go to www.GRSymphony. org.
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
First thing this morning, Meijer Gardens patrons received noticed that the 2020 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens had been cancelled.
“Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and after close consultation of government issued public health pronouncements and orders and numerous conversation with our concert promoter and others, we have made the extremely difficult decision to cancel this year’s Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens,” said Meijer Gardens President and CEO David Hooker. “We are looking forward to a summer full of live music once again filling the Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater in 2021 and we’ve already begun planning the 2021 Fifth Third Bank Summer Concerts at Meijer Gardens.”
Tickets for the series had not gone on sale.
The official announcement from Meijer Gardens does state that officials are exploring options to present local and regional performers as part of a modified Tuesday Evening Music Club series later this summer should the COVID-19 situation improve.
For more information, go to www.meijergardens.org.
