Sun, Microphones & Music! Philipsburg Rotary Concert 2018
PHILIPSBURG - It'll be one heck of a show ... AGAIN!
Saturday will mark the 9th Annual Philipsburg Rotary Club Concert, held in the picturesque Winninghoff Park Amphitheater. Gates open at noon with music starting at 2 p.m.
This year's event will feature a solid lineup of acts that are sure to have a little bit of appeal for everyone.
Four-time National Fiddling Champion Justin James will kick off the day, followed by the blues stylings of Sammy Eubanks. Then the Kelly Hughes Band takes center stage to rock the crowd into the night.
2018 Philipsburg Rotary Club Concert
Date: August 18, 2018 / Site: Winninghoff Park, Philipsburg, Montana
Tickets: http://www.philipsburgrotary.org/
Gates Open: Noon / Concert Begins: 2 p.m. / Concert Ends: 7 p.m.?
Concessions: Food and Beverages on site
Seating: Amphitheater, Bring a blanket, towel or lawn chair
Parking: Free with shuttles to Winninghoff Park
More Information: jimjenner@mac.com [406] 531-2203
Weather Forecast:
Noon: 67 deg., Partly Cloudy, Winds: 5W, 52% chance of Precip.
2 p.m.: 72 deg., Partly Cloudy, Winds: 7NNW, 34% chance of Precip.
5 p.m.: 74 deg., Partly Cloudy, Winds: 7NNW, 35% chance of Precip.
7 p.m.: 72 deg., Winds: 7NNW, 42% chance of Precip
All data according to Accuweather.com
Attendees at this year's event will see a distinct change, as Winninghoff Park now has a brand new, beautiful permanent stage for the acts to perform on.
The original stage, like the concert it was built for, was constructed in 2010 under the guidance of Ed Lord. It is a replica of other buildings in the downtown Philipsburg area and features an awning and lighting so artists can play well into the night and in inclement weather.
The almost $25,000 structure was paid for by local donors, including a $10,000 contribution from the Markovich Family Foundation of Missoula.
Lord used parts of his original mobile stage to construct the new one, keeping costs down and materials at a minimum.
When the newly refrigerated ice rink takes over in the winter months, the stage will be a great venue from which to score and view hockey games.
“What a gas to be christening this beautiful new stage,” said Kelly Hughes “My family has lived near Pburg on and off for three generations, so it is wonderful to be the first group to perform on this important local venue.”
Leeann Tenesch, event chairman, said that picking Hughes to play this year seemed like ma natural fit.
"Kelly has been a wonderful supporter of our charitable work here in Philipsburg," said Tenesch. "That, combined with the fact he puts on a dynamite show made it appropriate he be the headliner when we open our new stage.”
According to Philipsburg Rotary member Jim Jenner, the event serves as an annual fundraiser for the club and helps supply much needed funds for a number of projects. Aside from the 2010 rink expansion and portable stage construction, other big projects that the club has funded over the years include the Philipsburg Library, Granite County Medical Center and the city's parks.
"We also support a lot of smaller things as well that are all part of our community," added Jenner.
Friday the Rotary Club will release the final list of auction items that will be available for attendees to bid on. Jenner was sure there would be something for everyone. The Flint Creek Courier will publish that finalized list Friday.
“If you have never been to Philipsburg I can’t begin to tell you how much fun this is as a place for a concert,” said Hughes. “The arena is right downtown in the heart of the historic district, a block from the brewery, restaurants and all the shops. It is grassy with great acoustics. You bring a chair or a blanket and there is not a bad seat in the entire arena. It’s absolutely a favorite of our guys.”
