The Hopelands Concert Series is returning April 5.
“We’re really excited to be back,” said Alison Cribb, recreation program coordinator with the City of Aiken’s parks, recreation and tourism department.
MORE: Live Outdoor Concerts Return to Columbia County Amphitheater March 26
The longtime concert series went on hiatus in 2020 due to COVID-19 but will be back on Mondays April through June.
In its 47th season, the outdoor series, held at Hopelands Gardens, offers a variety of performances in different musical styles from big band to blues to the patriotic sounds of the Parris Island Marine Band.
While the concerts are held outside, there will be areas flagged off at the venue to enable better social distancing, Cribb said. In the event of rain, the concerts will be moved to the Odell Weeks Activity Center. Masks will be required if the event is moved indoors.
Kicking off the season April 5 will be Josh Martin and Mod Squad, a group of musicians who’ve played on cruise ships and in Las Vegas as well as Nashville, Tenn.
On April 12, The Experiment and the I-20 Horns will play old-school and modern dance music. On April 19, the six-member Aiken Brass will play; April 26 will bring out the Southern Elite Cloggers and Dance group.
All of the April concerts will begin at 6:30. In May and June, the concerts will start at 7 p.m.
The Aiken Youth Orchestra, under the direction of Adam DePriest, will perform on May 3; Preston and Weston will bring shag, beach, rhythm and blues to the stage on May 10. On May 17, Chris Ndeti and Mama Says Band will perform rock, funk and blues with a mix of original music as well as covers. Swingsation of Aiken, an 18-piece big band, will play on May 24; and the Aiken Civic Ballet will perform May 31.
Members of the Aiken Community Theatre will present a Broadway revue on June 7; 4 Cats in the Doghouse, a jazz quartet, will play June 14; Southern Meltdown, a country and southern rock band, will perform June 21; and the Parris Island Marine Band will finish the season on June 28. The Marine Band has been a Hopelands’ tradition for more than 30 years.
Cribb said that parking will be available at the Green Boundary Club, and there will be someone to stop traffic to allow people to cross Whiskey Road.
The concerts are free. People can bring picnics. Alcohol is prohibited.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
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