CONCERTS GREEN on the

By Melissa Rubalcaba Riske

Sunday evenings in the summer are meant for music in downtown Frankfort.

This summer marks the 35th season of the summertime favorite, Concerts on the Green. A group of volunteers serving on a committee for the Frankfort Chamber of Commerce produced the first summer concert series in 1987 at Breidert Green and it has returned year after year, within a single exception in the summer of 2020.

Pam Griffin has served as the chairwoman of the Concerts on the Green committee for more than 24 years and committee members include Chris Herder, Kim Herder, Judy Hageman, Barb Diehl and Don Schwarz.

Each year the committee is tasked with finding the right bands to fill the weekly concert venue, as well as fundraising for the concert costs through donations and business sponsorships. The concerts begin each summer on the Sunday of Father’s Day and conclude a week before Labor Day and Fall Fest. Each week crowds of a few hundred to as many as 1,000 find a patch of grass for their picnic blankets and folding chairs or ride up for the concert as a stop on the bike trail. Some fans are so dedicated to the concert they begin setting up around 3 p.m. for the evening concert that begins at 6:30 p.m., said Chris Herder, a member of the Concerts on the Green Committee.

Herder has been a part of the committee for 30 years, following in the footsteps of his parents, John and Judy, who were a part of the original committee. In addition to his role helping to find bands and fundraising, he is also a musician and a member of Outcast Jazz Band, which has played at the Concerts on the Green since 1989.

Throughout the 10 weeks of the Concerts on the Green visitors will find a mix of musical styles including blues, country, cover hits and rock too.

“Sundays are a great day in Frankfort,” Herder said. “Start the day at the Farmers Market and return in the evening for a free concert in a great space.”