MANSFIELD — Downtown Mansfield, Inc. (DMI) has released its lineup for this summer’s Final Friday concert series.
The concerts will kick off Memorial Day weekend with local favorite County Line and continue every last Friday of the month at the Brickyard through September with a mix of new and returning musicians all summer long.
“We’ve got some really exciting new acts to bring into the fold,” said DMI’s chief development officer, Jamie Thompson.
She explained the organization aims to feature a variety of genres, ones that could appeal to any age group. It also strives to have a 50-50 combination of local and regional artists. The lineup includes returning Richland County acts like the Red Ball Jets, Ricky Mitchell and Alter Ego and first-time potential favorites like the Andy Shaw Band and Terry Lee.
If you go
The first show, on Friday, May 31 starts off the summer series with Chad & Lorrie, the Terry Douglas Band and County Line.
The following show, on Friday, June 28, includes performances by Ricky Mitchell, Jimi Vincent Band and Terry Lee.
Three returning acts take the stage on Friday, July 26. These are Jai Merina, Acoustic Edge and Red Ball Jets.
And on August 30, three others will make their Brickyard debut. Paris Stewart, TBA (the band) and Andy Shaw Band will all make their first Final Friday appearances.
The final show of the season, set for Friday, Sept. 27, features The Wanderers, Honey and Blue and Alter Ego.
All shows begin at 5:30 p.m. and end by about 10:30 p.m.
Admission is free, and people are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, as no other seating is provided.
Refreshments will be available for purchase. Beers from The a variety of beers, including some from The Phoenix Brewing Company, wines from Cypress HIll and non-alcoholic beverages will be offered by DMI. Those who purchased tokens for these items last season can bring their tokens this year to be redeemed at any show.
Food trucks will also be present. As of mid-April, at least three were confirmed their intent to participate.
The series is sponsored by Dearman Moving and Storage, Lori Sjostedt of Haring Realty, IKORCC – Carpenters Union, Next Generation Films, Ohio Eye Associates, OhioHealth, The Phoenix Brewing Company, Spherion MidOhio, The Shealy Group and The Clean Company.
The Brickyard: Becoming a destination
Thompson anticipates an average of 5,000 people to attend each Final Friday concert, and possibly pushing 10,000 people for a few of the mid-summer one.
“It depends on the show,” Thompson said. “It’s been hard to get an accurate number, but if you look at the crowd and estimate, it’s 5,000 average per show.”
She explained that set up and clean up for the concerts is a “full blown production” for DMI and its small staff. They rely heavily on volunteers to make the shows a success. She thanked them for their efforts.
“I think we’ve gotten it to a place, where I wouldn’t say it’s a science, but where we have a great group of individuals… and are fortunate to have people with experience.”
The Final Friday concert series began in 2007, and were held at the top of the Brickyard’s hill — where the food trucks now set up — for the first several years.
Then, in 2014, the venue drew such a crowd that DMI decided to move the stage to the bottom of the hill, near an entrance to The Phoenix Brewing Company. In 2015, the stage was named the “Richland Source Pavillion,” as the series continued to grow.
Thompson said, crowds have continued to grow every year since and the Brickyard has even gotten attention for some of its private bookings. A couple held their wedding at the stage last year and a graduation party is booked for the venue later this year.
“The Brickyard is becoming a destination,” Thompson said. “It’s a place that people are interested in being.”
May 31
Chad & Lorrie – Terry Douglas Band – County Line
June 28
Ricky Mitchell – Jimi Vincent Band – Terry Lee
July 26
Jai Merina – Acoustic Edge – Red Ball Jets
Aug. 30
Paris Stewart – TBA (the band) – Andy Shaw Band
Sept. 27
The Wanderers – Honey and Blue – Alter Ego
