Freeman Arts Pavilion landed big acts Cole Swindell, Patti LaBelle and Bonnie Raitt as part of its first wave of lineup announcements for its 15th season this summer in Selbyville.
Tickets for those performances (along with others below) go on sale at 10 a.m., Thursday at freemanarts.org.
Unlike last year where the bulk of the lineup was unveiled at one time, this year’s entertainment lineup will be announced in chunks on Fridays as performances are confirmed by the artists; and the ticket sales will begin the following Thursday.
Although Freeman Arts doesn’t have set dates for all of its concert announcements yet, organizers “hope to have the full season [released] by the end of April,” Patti Grimes, executive director for the Freeman Arts Pavilion, told Delaware Online / The News Journal.
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The first set of performances announced for this season include Choir! Choir! Choir!, sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, on June 16; country artist Cole Swindell on June 18; soul singer Patti LaBelle on June 22; blues singer Bonnie Raitt on June 24; Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis on June 25; Rebelution with special guests Steel Pulse, DENM and DJ Mackle on June 26; Yacht Rock Revue on July 9 and Elvis Costello & The Imposters on Aug. 19.
What’s new this year?
In 2021, patrons saw the debut of the Freeman Arts Pavilion, an expanded and rebranded version of the former Freeman Stage. The new $27 million complex seats over 4,000 patrons (with over 1,000 patrons under a roof), compared to its pre-pandemic maximum of 2,700 seats.
Grimes said the feedback they received from patrons last summer was mostly positive.
“Freeman Arts Pavilion allows for our patrons to spread out a bit, but still have an intimate experience with the artist,” she said. “Ninety-five percent of patrons in 2021 said they would recommend and return to our venue, according to our end of season survey sent to ticket buyers.”
Based on customer feedback in that survey, the Freeman Arts Pavilion made improvements to the venue for this upcoming season.
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Those updates include paved and expanded 12-foot walkways throughout the venue, adding a third and direct exit from the Grand Green, additional concessions and restroom areas on the Grand Green, moving the Box Office to Main Gate, re-grading and irrigation on the Grand Green, and new ingress features which will expedite entry.
This season also will feature the return of fixed seating events. Because the Grand Green is more expansive, this layout will have more room between seats and the rows. Additionally, many events will have a combination of fixed seating and general admission, where patrons bring their own chairs.
Not to mention, the 15th season will include a mix of dance, theater, children’s performances and live music.
‘People are eager’
Last year brought major national acts back to the Selbyville venue, something it hadn’t done since 2019, because of the pandemic.
Heavy hitters that headlined the Freeman Arts Pavilion last year included Earth, Wind & Fire and Lynyrd Skynyrd, along with country star Jake Owen and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.
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Other standouts included Train, REO Speedwagon, ABBA, Train, Trombone Shorty, The Commodores and comedian Kathleen Madigan.
While it’s unclear what other big names the venue will bring next, Grimes said it’s obvious that folks are chomping at the bit to see more live music.
“We learned last year that people are eager to come out and enjoy high-quality live arts performances in a casual setting.”
Andre Lamar is the features/lifestyle reporter. If you have an interesting story idea, email Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com
