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Free Summer Concert Series begins Thursday in Hayden

DEVIN WEEKS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 1 month AGO
by DEVIN WEEKS
Devin Weeks is a third-generation North Idaho resident. She holds an associate degree in journalism from North Idaho College and a bachelor's in communication arts from Lewis-Clark State College Coeur d'Alene. Devin embarked on her journalism career at the Coeur d'Alene Press in 2013. She worked weekends for several years, covering a wide variety of events and issues throughout Kootenai County. Devin now mainly covers K-12 education and the city of Post Falls. She enjoys delivering daily chuckles through the Ghastly Groaner and loves highlighting local people in the Fast Five segment that runs in CoeurVoice. Devin lives in Post Falls with her husband and their three eccentric and very needy cats. | June 25, 2021 1:00 AM

The free music that entices us to kick off our shoes and dance barefoot in North Idaho's grassy parks has been adding that special something to our summers for three decades.

"I can remember very clearly getting started in 1992," Chris Guggemos, owner of Handshake Productions, said Tuesday.

Guggemos, then-manager of the Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association Suzanne Kaderka and Don Johnston, who was in charge of Sherman Square Park at that time, put the first season together that summer.

"I’ve just been running with it since," Guggemos said. "I couldn’t have done it without them those first couple years."

Following a year that was unpredictable and canceled by coronavirus, Guggemos was pleased to announce that the lineup of the Handshake Productions free Summer Concert Series will feature 25 performances, including five new bands that have never played the series.

“It will be fun,” he said. "The business was good last year. I did have to change some dates and change some bands, but I didn't lose any work as far as the concert series."

A diverse selection of musicians and bands will take the stages this year, from party bands and Celtic style to acoustic, bluegrass, rockabilly and covers.

"There's one band, What About Bob. Two members of that band were in bands that played for me that first year in 1992," Guggemos said. "Bones Kasun and Tom Kuntz, they were playing in different bands for me in 1992. Here I am 30 years later, still working with some of the same people."

The opening show of the summer will be from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on July 1, in McIntire Family Park, 8939 N. Government Way, Hayden. The Hankers country rock band will light up the stage. The Hayden concerts will continue through the summer from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Thursdays.

The first downtown Coeur d'Alene concert is July 6. These performances will be from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Tuesdays, in Sherman Square Park, 316 Sherman Ave. Bad weather may move concerts indoors to The Coeur d’Alene Resort Plaza Shops.

The first show for the Coeur d'Alene City Park concert series will feature the Kelly Hughes Band from 1 to 4 p.m. on July 11. Performances will continue at the same time each Sunday through the summer.

"People enjoy the family aspect of it," Guggemos said. "They like the park atmosphere."

So bring a chair, bring a blanket, bring a friend. And don't forget your dancing feet!

Visit handshakeproductions.net for details.

photo

Courtesy photo

Spokane show/party/dance band Rock Candy keeps audiences dancing and rockin' to tunes from Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars to Boston, Styx and AC/DC. Rock Candy will play in Sherman Square Park as part of the Handshake Productions free Summer Concert Series on July 20.

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