The Grand’s performance schedule in its three venues runs very similar to the school year, September through May.
This is driven in large part by the fact that national touring artists switch over to festival and outdoor arena mode in the summertime to meet the public’s desire to listen outside.
By necessity, then, Copeland Hall, The Playhouse on Rodney Square, and the baby grand are mostly quiet from Memorial Day to Labor Day. But, there is still plenty of work for The Grand’s staff as it prepares for the coming season.
Meanwhile, our community is just like any other – looking for those cultural opportunities in the great outdoors. And so, The Grand and many of its colleague organizations offer a variety of performances and shared arts experiences for all ages in all kinds of green spaces. Many of these events are free, as we strive to entertain and enrich the families of the Wilmington area.
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The Grand’s premier summer program, Summer in the Parks, is now in its 10th season as a partnership with the City of Wilmington’s Department of Parks and Recreation and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.
For eight weeks starting June 27, The Grand will produce a series of lunchtime programs coordinated with the City’s Food Service program. The Grand works with a number of local artists and arts organizations – both performers and visual artists – and invites neighborhood residents, community centers, daycares and summer camp groups to explore engaging artistic content in Wilmington’s city parks. We aim to create more than just passive watching experiences but also active participation and learning in music, dance, theater, storytelling, visual arts and crafts.
Summer in the Parks also offers several evening concert events for the entire family, featuring local bands and musical artists. All of the activities – daytime and evening – are intended to bring the rich cultural assets of Wilmington’s arts community right into our city neighborhoods.
Director Ian Smith stated, “The Department of Parks and Recreation is delighted to be working with The Grand going on 10 years with Summer in the Parks. Their array of arts activities for kids and families throughout the City of Wilmington is a wonderful complement to our own programs of Play Streets, Grazin’ in the Grass, City Cinema, and of course the Food Service.
“Wilmington has a plethora of talent in our midst and it’s really great to see all these local artists out there, interacting with our families.”
A full schedule of Summer in the Parks events can be found at: TheGrandWilmington.org/Parks
The Grand’s companion program, Summer Explorers, has been entertaining Wilmington families for 25 years, always on a pay-what-you-can basis. (Advance donation is required for groups that want to reserve a block of seats.) A combination of light, accessible shows with engaging artists in Copeland Hall offer a cool break from the summer heat. This season:
- Illstyle and Peace returns on July 14 to perform “Become Your Dreams.” The dance troupe celebrates the art and movement of hip hop with a funky blend of locking, breaking, popping, tap and house dancing, vocal percussions and more.
- On July 21, Bill Blagg’s “The Science of Magic” takes students on a rare journey “behind the scenes” of the magic world where they will discover firsthand how magicians use science to create their illusions.
- In a first-time collaboration between The Grand and the Choir School of Delaware, which will be in residence with their musical theater summer camp for five weeks, culminating performances of the musical “Once On This Island” can be seen on July 28 as part of Summer Explorers and at an evening performance on July 29.
Already this summer, The Grand partnered with the Wilmington Grand Prix to present Jeff Boyer’s “Big Bubble Bonanza” in mid-May as part of the family-oriented downtown celebrations around that premier bike event.
The Grand is not alone in offering performances and other arts experiences in Wilmington this summer.
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Delaware Shakespeare brought a “Twelfth Night” concert to Rodney Square during Memorial Day weekend, and will return to its Rockwood Park home for the first time in three summers to present “The Tempest.”
Delaware Theatre Company is bringing back its popular parking lot series of show-oriented music. And OperaDelaware’s “Pop-Up Opera” brings live performances to outdoor spaces, as well.
Riverfront Development Corporation offers a series of Thursday night concerts in Tubman-Garrett Park that starts July 7.
Friends of Wilmington Parks host events at Rockford Park and the Sugar Bowl Pavilion in Brandywine Park. More free concerts can be found at Bellevue State Park, New Castle County’s Glasgow Park, City of New Castle’s Battery Park, and many more.
Of course, we can’t forget the musical and theatrical components of Wilmington’s many summer festivals, including the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival June 15 to 18, the Riverfront Blues Festival in August, and the People’s Festival in September.
For a full schedule of summer performances and arts activities, visit the IN Wilmington website at www.inwilmde.com
For activities throughout the state, click to the Delaware Division of the Arts’ web calendar, DelawareScene, at www.delawarescene.com
Have an artful and art-filled summer!
Pamelyn Manocchio is the Managing Director of The Grand Opera House; Mark Fields is Executive Director. More information on The Grand and its programs can be found at www.TheGrandWilmington.org.
Open Call is a weekly column that offers Delaware’s arts and culture organizations an opportunity to share their vision, challenges and upcoming programming with our readers. Groups interested in participating can email Features Editor Tammy Paolino at tpaolino@gannett.com
