Frankie Valens will perform at last summer concert
By Joanna Brazil
Director, Peabody Main Street Association
When I was a youngster, my family would make the annual summer trek to visit both sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in Fayetteville, N.Y. We would typically stay for about a month, which gave us Kansas farm kids exposure to life in town, life in a neighborhood. We were a short bike-ride away from a pizza parlor, an ice cream shop, and a group of buddies whom we would see every summer. For a kid who grew up where everything was about a 20-minute drive away, on a farm that was "out in the sticks," (as my friends often referred to it), these summers in a community were such a treat. We hosted lemonade stands, helped my grandmother have garage sales, and spent many afternoons walking down to the nearest convenience store for a cherry slurpie with our buddies.
One of my fondest memories of my lazy summers in Fayetteville includes the concerts in the park that my grandmother would take us to every so often. My grandma would set up her chair with a group of her friends, and my sister and I were free to run around the park to meet other kids who were there with their families. Our grandmother could expect a swift return from us as soon as the sound of the music from an ice cream truck was loud enough to indicate that it was in the area. The summer evenings, the music of barbershop quartets and Dixieland jazz combos, the socializing, the ice cream
Fortunately, the "good old days" still exist and I am delighted to be enjoying them in Peabody! For those of you who love the oldies, we have a special concert planned for you from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Sept. 26 at Santa Fe Park.
Frankie Valens will be here to perform some old favorite toe-tappin' tunes. Enjoy a picnic after the concert. Brown bag dinners and goodies will be available for anyone to enjoy after the concert.
The concert and dinners are free, but call the city office at 983-2174 to reserve a dinner or pick up a free ticket at some of the downtown businesses. Free will donations are accepted and appreciated.
Look for more information in future editions of the Peabody Gazette-Bulletin or contact me at (620) 983-2174, evenings 983-9251, or email pmsa@peabodyks.com.
Don't forget to bring a blanket or a lawn chair!
