How’s this for a Main Street redesign: More kazoo symphonies, dogs in zany costumes, people dangling from fixtures on silk ropes and an outdoor movie theater?
For one night, anyway, that’s the plan, as Midsummer Night Magic returns to downtown for a second go-round June 21 beginning at 5 p.m. It’s a community-centric evening complete with an unorthodox parade, live music and an outdoor showing of Back to the Future. Essentially, it’s more fun than you can Shakespeare a stick at.
The event, which debuted last summer, returns with a handful of new offerings and a host of crowd favorites from last summer in hopes of establishing itself as an annual downtown party not to be missed.
“Having one year under our belt and knowing how it all works, I think it’s going to be really fun this year,” Jessica Fogg, one of the event’s main organizers, said. “I think there’s a lot more community excitement about it this year, now that people know about it. I think it’s going to be really fun. I just love the whole community feel. I’m always a big fan of events downtown and having the community come out and just enjoy each other.”
Midsummer Night Magic was created as a collaboration between organizers of several different would-be events: The Creative Concord Committee’s quest for a less traditional parade event for downtown, the annual multicultural festival (which this year will be held in September) and a merchants event that was the brainchild of Stephanie Zinser at True Brew Barista.
Last year was the inaugural try, and though the threat of thunderstorms postponed an outdoor showing of the movie Labyrinth, the rest of the evening was a hit. One of the more memorable scenes was the “kazoophony,” a symphony of kazoos from the Concord Community Music School marching down Main Street as part of the parade.
The kazoophony will be back, as will the members of Artsfest Aerialists, who dazzled by dancing while suspended from the gate in Eagle Square by a vibrantly-colored rope made of silk.
“I’m excited for all the new performances, but also to have some of the same performances we had last year,” Fogg said.
The parade – dubbed the Creative Concord Caravan – is designed to be participatory, as spectators are encouraged to dress up and take part, even provide their own “personal percussion” if they have it, Fogg said. It will feature the kazoophony, a costumed dog posse from No Monkey Business dog training and a Chinese dragonhead from Villari’s Martial Arts, as well as members of the Granite State Roller Derby team and music from the Dusty Gray Band. It will begin at 6 p.m.at Capitol Street and saunter down Main Street, up Pleasant Street and into Bicentennial Square.
But don’t wait for the parade to make your appearance – there will be a gathering at the State House at 5 p.m. that will feature mask-making with the Kimball Jenkins School of Art, costume accessories and embellishments from New To You Recycled Fashion and a performance by the Kid Jazz Band.
Burundian drummers will perform on City Plaza at about 5:20 p.m., followed by the moves of the Artsfest Aerialist – which Fogg described as “visually stunning” – at the Eagle Square entrance at 5:40 p.m.
Highlights after the parade include Artsfest hula hoopers, Tribal Zoe belly dancers, a handful of live music performances, a photo booth and a beer tasting, all ahead of the showing of Back to the Future, presented by Red River Theatres, around 9 p.m. at dusk.
For those hearty souls looking for entertainment at the conclusion of the movie, Diamond Joe will be playing at True Brew Barista.
The evening features a little bit of everything, which organizers hope draws a dedicated crowd that will put the festival on its calendars for years to come.
“The Concord community has welcomed the infusion of other arts-related events into the city’s cultural landscape in recent years, and the addition of this type of festival will continue that development,” Fogg said.
For a complete schedule or more information, visit facebook.com/mnmconcordnh, call Fogg at 568-5740 or email her at jessica@jfoggsocialinspirations.com. The Facebook page will include any pertinent weather-related updates as the event draws closer.
