Enjoy lazy summer Sundays with an outing to Toowoomba Regional Council’s (TRC) free “Summer Tunes in the Blooms” program across January and February from Sunday January 10th, 2016. Four of Toowoomba’s premier public parks ̶ the Picnic Point bandstand, the shade shelter area at Laurel Bank Park, at the Newtown Park State Rose Garden and near the Margaret Street children’s play area in Queens Park will host performances
Regional audiences in Oakey, Crows Nest, Millmerran and Pittsworth will have musical afternoons starting from the end of January for the third year. This year the program will include Goombungee on February 28. TUX’s (formerly Tuxedo Junction) will perform in Mocatta Street near the war memorial from noon to 3pm.
TRC Tourism and Events portfolio leader Cr Geoff McDonald said “The parks are a top tourist drawcard at any time of year and this is an extra reason to head outdoors and see the beauty of the region’s recreation areas. Summer Tunes are as much a part of summer as cicadas, sizzling barbecues, backyard cricket and the whirr of lawn mowers.â€
TRC Parks and Recreation portfolio leader Cr Sue Englart, a co-instigator of the program 16 years ago, is delighted musical offerings have become a fixture on the city’s summer social calendar. “Tunes and Blooms are a wonderful mix over the Sundays in January and February. It is a great showcase of talented musicians set against the spectacular backdrop of our magnificent civic parks,†Cr Englart said.
Sunday’s program starts near the children’s play area in Queens Park for the Children’s Capers segments from 10am to noon. An added feature in Queens Park is free face painting for children of all ages. Other themes are The Big Bands at Picnic Point, Picnic Pleasures in Laurel Bank Park and Music in the Roses at Newtown Park. These sessions run from noon to 3pm.
The opening week line-ups include The Alison Bryant Quartet at Queens Park with a selection of jazz, swing jazz and rock and roll songs along with the Broxburn Music Club of Pittsworth at Newtown Park. Whisky Mac draws on a catalogue of Celtic and Australian folk music and popular tunes spanning country, Latin and calypso styles at Laurel Bank Park.
The popular Damian Black Band opens the Picnic Point program in rousing fashion with a selection of covers and originals. Internationally acclaimed Damian Black will be joined by top Toowoomba guitarist Dale Robbins and a selection of other musicians and vocalists. Mr Black has written more than 600 songs and enjoyed an extensive professional career across Europe, in particular, in the 1990s. During that time he played in Iceland, Denmark, Germany, Austria and across the United Kingdom, among other countries. After playing at the very first Summer Tunes program, Mr Black and his band of revolving musicians have been regular fixtures in recent years. Visitors to Picnic Point Park can expect to see him at the piano this weekend.
The following seven weeks will see performers across pop, rock, Celtic, country, jazz, and big band genres. Enjoy performances by Yakety Saxes, JEDDY (Jazz Education for Darling Downs Youth Society), Zedd PM, Toowoomba Municipal Band, High Altitude Harmony, Women in Harmony, Paul Edwards Quintet, the Jim Miller Big Band, Slow Train Coming, Timeless, Triple Beat, The Darlington String Trio and Kelly’s Armour among others.
The Regional Summer Tunes program is:
Oakey: January 31, Arthur Shooter Park, Aperitif. 10.30am-1pm.
Crow’s Nest: February 7, Centenary Park, Slow Train Coming. Noon-3pm.
Millmerran: February 14, Anzac Park, Paul Edwards Quintet. 10am-1.30pm.
Pittsworth: February 21, Pittsworth Pioneer Village and Museum, 2 Timing. Noon-3pm.
Goombungee: February 28, Mocatta St near war memorial, TUX’s. noon-3pm.
The full program can be viewed at www.tr.qld.gov.au/summertunes
