It鈥檚 one of this town鈥檚 cultural gems, and the price is right, so it鈥檚 no wonder the City of Victoria鈥檚 summertime Afternoon Concerts in the Park series continues to draw enthusiastic crowds year after year.
Last Monday鈥檚 final free concert of the season in Beacon Hill Park鈥檚 Cameron Bandshell was no exception, attracting an ever-changing crowd over two hours on a glorious late-summer afternoon.
The crowd of spectators seated on lawn chairs, blankets or in rows of the outdoor music venue鈥檚 classic green seats were as eclectic as the musical selections programmed throughout the season.
This summer鈥檚 lineup included Prohibition-era jazz, Celtic, classical, reggae, soul, rhythm and blues, swing, big band and bluegrass music in an attempt to cater to most tastes.
On Sept. 11, it was the musical duo Decades After Paris, with Heather Lynn and Danton Jay delivering audience-friendly doses of upbeat jazz, pop and folk music.
Ed George, 85, said he has been coming to the free concerts since the 1970s, and he isn鈥檛 about to stop now.
鈥淚t鈥檚 such a nice setting and they play music that I like. This is environmental music,鈥� said George, who last spring even made some new friends during his jaunts.
鈥淲e met this fine gentleman because he shared a bench with us in the spring,鈥� recalled Ray Toews, 67, who moved here from Manitoba last summer with his wife Terry, 66.
鈥淚 love music and there鈥檚 no more beautiful park to come to come to,鈥� Terry said. 鈥淭o be able to listen to something you like in a setting like this is a dream come true.鈥�
While she multitasked on the lawn, Elizabeth McDonald, 71, said she loved the musical diversity 鈥� 鈥渢oday it鈥檚 folk, yesterday it was big band鈥� 鈥� during the concert series.
鈥淚 have to do regular exercise because I have some physical problems, so I鈥檓 enjoying the last days of summer,鈥� she said, wrapping up her fitness routine while the duo performed the George Gershwin classic Summertime.
Ruth Schreir, 72, was found relaxing in a lawn chair, dividing her time between reading Efraim Malevy鈥檚 Man in the Shadows and taking in the musical entertainment onstage.
鈥淚t鈥檚 such a wonderful experience being able to come and sit in the park like this,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 wonderful that Victoria does this. You have to go out of the city to other places and come back to realize what a wonderful place this is.鈥�
Carolyn Sadowsky, 29, said she wasn鈥檛 aware these free concerts took place until 鈥渨e came stomping through the trees鈥� during a post-picnic walk in the park with her friend Katrina Brooke, 26.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 been to these before but I鈥檝e been here for [Victoria Film Festival鈥檚] outdoor movies,鈥� said Brooke, her voice competing with the sounds of the Stylistics hit You Make Me Feel Brand New.
For Anne Heinl, 66, it was a chance to spend time with her young granddaughter Ula-Kay and her dog Potts, a border terrier, after preschool.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a fun place to come to and great for the kids to learn about music and the outdoors, and it鈥檚 such a beautiful day,鈥� said Heinl.
