Free Labor Day Concert Sept. 2 at City Park

COEUR d'ALENE - Think of it as the perfect way to end a three-day weekend.

And, in its serene setting at the Rotary Bandshell near the shores of Lake Coeur d'Alene at City Park, it's the ideal way to wind down summer as well.

The Coeur d'Alene Symphony is holding its free Labor Day Concert in the Park Monday, Sept. 2, an annual tradition that turns the downtown park into an open air concert hall for music lovers, beach goers or anyone else who happens to be strolling by.

"That's the best part," said Robert Bittick, symphony producer, on the anyone-can-stop-and-listen approach the concert has used for the last decade. "It's for everyone."

Out walking?

Stop and sit in the grass while the 50 musicians play pop, patriotic and light classics.

Spending the day swimming?

You can still listen in from the beach.

Or bring a lawn chair, picnic lunch and make a day of it. The concert begins at 1 p.m. and runs for about two hours, featuring two winners from the Coeur d'Alene Symphony's National Young Artists competition - Bronwyn James, 14, and Olivia Marckx, 13.

James will play the third movement of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and Marckx will perform the Popper Hungarian Rhapsody.

About 2,000 people attended the concert last year, and just as many are expected to converge at the park this year, said Jill Cathey, symphony spokesperson.

The Monday concert will be a perfect end to the holiday weekend, she said, especially because thousands of visitors are expected to visit town for the return of the hydroplane races. The races run all weekend, but will be over on Monday so the concert offers race fans something else to appreciate.

It also marks the kick off to the symphony season, with concerts beginning in October running to May. Season passes cost $80, $65 for seniors and $40 for youth.

Info: 765-3833