- By -Staff
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(Ithaca, NY) Sixteen free concerts are scheduled in the 2009 M and T Bank Downtown Ithaca Summer Concert Series. The series kicks off this Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. at the Bernie Milton Pavilion on the Ithaca Commons, with the Ithaca Concert Band.All of the concerts are free and open to the public, and will be held on Thursday nights at either the Bernie Milton Pavilion or the Aurora Street Pavilion. It is important to note that except for the Ithaca Concert Band performances, all of the concerts will begin at 6:00 p.m. Ithaca Concert Band performances will begin at 7:00 p.m.
This year’s schedule will include the traditional Grassroots Festival Kick Off Concert, scheduled for Wednesday, July 15, 2009, and a Welcome Back Students concert, which will be held in late August or early September. The Downtown Ithaca Alliance is also planning to hold additional concerts during the week of July 27 through August 1, which is Downtown Office Worker Appreciation Week and Sidewalk Sale Days.
The DIA is currently finalizing the 2009 Summer Concert Series schedule and list of performers, and will announce it through its weekly e-news, on downtown Ithaca’s Facebook page and through Twitter, this Wednesday, July 17th. The schedule and list of performers will also be posted on the DIA’s website on Thursday, July 18th. The public is encouraged to visit www.downtownithaca.com to sign up for the DIA’s weekly e-news updates, to become a downtown fan on its Facebook page and also to sign up for downtown tweets through Twitter.
DIA Marketing and Special Events Director Vicki Taylor says, “These are exciting times in downtown Ithaca and we’re thrilled to be able to present our concerts free of charge, at a time when so many other communities are not able to host a series, or are asking their attendees for a donation or admission fee. Along with our free concerts, we have a brand new, expanded movie theatre complex, a new national retailer planning to open soon and a new downtown Farmer’s Market.”
Residents and visitors alike are also encouraged to come to downtown early on Thursday nights, or to stay late after the concerts and visit downtown’s unique restaurants and bistros or do some shopping in its one-of-a-kind galleries and gift shops. Thursday night is traditionally the night that downtown merchants stay open late and with many new businesses on the Commons and in downtown, there will be plenty for everyone to see and do before or after each concert.
Downtown Ithaca’s new Thursday Farmer’s Market will be held every Thursday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Dewitt Park, starting June 25th. The History Center in Tompkins County will host Living History Tour “Ghost Walks” in July and August, every Thursday night, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Each tour lasts 45 minutes.
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