Park Rhythms prepares to host diverse lineup in 28th year

Annual outdoor concert series to return in June

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
June 5, 2024

A local summer tradition that fills Veterans Park with live music and the aroma of local food trucks will return at 7 p.m., Thursday, June 20, as Park Rhythms kicks off its 28th year.

The Black Mountain Recreation and Parks Department’s free outdoor concert series, which opens with performances by Wagging and Jessie & The Jinx, will host a diverse eight-week lineup.

Hosted on the northwest baseball field in the the town park, the 2024 season will brings roster of artists making their Park Rhythms debut. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring their own chairs and sit on the outfield grass.

Sponsored by nine local businesses, each two-hour show will include dinner options from a rotating cast of food trucks, including Cecilia’s Kitchen (June 20 and July 25), Dirty Gertie’s Taco Stand (June 27 and July 11), Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ (July 18 and Aug. 15) and The Blue Cardinal (Aug. 1 and 8). A vendor offering sweet treats will be available each week, while Grift Town Goods, which designed the 2024 poster, will carry commemorative t-shirts and other screen printing options.

The music, according to organizer and Black Mountain Recreation Coordinator Clint Bowman, will be a versatile mix of well-known and up-and-coming artists.

“I feel like this is the most diverse lineup we’ve had in the last several years,” he said. “As far as artists are concerned, and geographical locations, it has a lot of difference flavors.”

Neither the season’s first headliner, Wagging, nor opener, Jessie & The Jinx, will have to travel far to perform, as each Asheville-based bands bring a different sound.

“Wagging is a really exciting up-and-coming indie rock/pop band out of West Asheville,” Bowman said. “Mark Capon, one of the founders of Harvest Records, is in the band, and they have gained a lot of popularity in the last few years, putting out a few singles and making their way into festival lineups.”

Asheville-based Wagging, which released its first album, My Own Private Rodeo, earlier this year, will open the 2024 Park Rhythms series, June 20, at Veterans Park. Photo courtesy of Black Mountain Recreation and Parks

The group released its first album, My Owen Private Rodeo, earlier this year.

Jessie & The Jinx will add a country flair to the event.

“The first show will be two really different acts, but a very Asheville-influenced show to kick off the season,” Bowman said.

The season will continue, Thursday, June 27, with Drumming Bird, bringing a sound that is described as being “somewhere between the youthful noise of indie rock and the poignant working-class introspection of Americana.”

No show will be held on July 4, but the season resumes the next week with a performance by Queen Bee and the Honeylovers. Tyler Ramsey and Colby T. Helms and The Virginia Creepers round out the July schedule.

“There is a lot to look forward to with this lineup,” Bowman said. “It really has a little something for everyone this year.”

In the event of inclement weather, shows will be moved to the top floor of the Lakeview Center at Lake Tomahawk.

With its laid-back atmosphere and well-rounded musical offerings, Park Rhythms remains an enduring local tradition, as the series nears its third decade, according to Bowman.

“I think it’s valuable for local residents to have access to high-quality music throughout the summer,” he said. “It’s an event that has grown into a great opportunity for the community to come together and have a relaxing evening of good food and entertainment.”