Article originally posted to wcfcourier.com
Melody Parker May 26, 2022
CEDAR FALLS — Eight neighborhood block parties will take place this summer as part of the Gallagher Bluedorn’s second annual block party series.
On June 4, Mike Lefebvre and the Favorites will kick off the season with a free concert from 7 to 9 p.m. at outside Orchard Hill Church, 3900 Orchard Drive, Cedar Falls. There will be food and beverages, as well as a variety of activities.
The series began last year as free entertainment during the pandemic and quickly became an opportunity for communities to share a fun experience.
“We’re bringing the party to neighborhoods,” said Jennifer Onuigbo, community relations manager at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. Block parties are planned from June through September.
Response to the gatherings has been “overwhelmingly positive,” Onuigbo.
“We have eight planned this year. A lot of people have reached out to us and want to have a block party in their neighborhood, and we already have 20 on the list with requests for next year. I can see the series really growing in the future.”
All events are free and open to the public, and those interested in attending should plan to bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating. Each block party is unique as each neighborhood determines what activities and vendors are featured, such as inviting local groups to provide food as fundraisers, or arranging for food trucks to be present.
Gallagher Bluedorn provides a roster of local artists and bands for neighborhoods to select their entertainment. “We bring our portable stage with state-of-the-arts light and sound equipment and provide the technical staff to run it. That’s provided free by the Gallagher Bluedorn.”
This year, the Hearst Center for the Arts and Waterloo Center for the Arts are collaborating with Gallagher Bluedorn to bring art activities to the gatherings in their respective communities.
“It really is a partnership, a collaborative effort, There is no cover charge, no tickets to buy, and the Gallagher Bluedorn pays the performers. The bands are very excited about performing at block Parties because it gets them exposure and it’s a lot of fun,” Onuigbo said.
Some bands are returning favorites, while others are new to the musical line-up.
Block Parties will take place in Cedar Falls, Waterloo and Waverly this summer. Other dates, locations and performers are:
June 18 — Gates Park/Juneteenth Celebration, East Fourth and Lester streets, Waterloo, 5-7 p.m., featuring HartSmith.
July 9 — North End Arts and Music Fest, Ferguson-Fields Park, 936 Oneida St, Waterloo, all day.
July 15 — Landmark Commons, 1400 Maxhelen Blvd., Waterloo, 7-9 p.m., featuring Milk & Honey.
July 17 — Lookout Park, Park and Mandalay drives, Cedar Falls, 2-4 p.m., featuring STACKHOUSE.
July 30 — Birdsall Park, Birdsall and Barnett drives, Cedar Falls, 7-9 p.m., featuring Snozzberries.
August 2 — Greenbrier, 1554 Oakwood Drive, Waterloo, 6-8 p.m., featuring HartSmith.
September 18 — Waverly Senior Center, 506 E Bremer Ave., Waverly, 2-4 p.m., featuring The Vinyl Frontier.
For more information, or to get on the waiting list for block parties, contact Onuigbo at (319) 273-3679, jennifer.onuigbo@uni.edu.