Celebrate summer

Finally we have hit summer in full stride in the beautiful woods of the Skylands, barbecues are stoked and the beaches are splendid. In the spirit of the season, the perennial Sparta Summer Concerts resumed featuring a full spectrum of our talented residents; June 10 with the annual SCAC Battle of the Bands, June 24 Sparta Middle School “Con Brio” Ensemble (and the Dalton Gang), July 1 the Annual Local Teen Night and July 8 with local adult performers, who all generously donated their time and talents to our community. I have traveled around the world playing at many outdoor events (I am heading to Germany again tomorrow to play a week of outdoor events in the Black Forest) and I have to say that we are blessed in Sparta to have such a wonderful park-like setting and a gorgeous performance venue donated through the extreme generosity of the Nicholson Family. Few communities have such a treasure. Starting July 15, the Sparta Summer Concerts are coming into the full swing of national and international performers who have graced our stage (always at greatly reduced performance fees) in recent years. The amazing blues rocker Danielia Cotton will be returning to Sparta July 15, (waiving her 3 page rider and all of her usual contractual terms); Billy Hector will be joining us July 22nd. July 29th an All-Star roster of International Jazz performers will be on stage including Mark Egan, Nick Rolfe, Kermit Driscoll, Jeff Ciampa, Jon Werking, John Hart and I will be joining both groups as a donation to our cause. August 5th former Sparta resident and “From Good Homes” member Patrick Fitzsimmons along with the very talented up and coming Sparta artist Geoff Doubleday will bring the house down. August 12 features WNTI favored artist The David Keyes Band. Regional ska band, Subcommittee will close out the season August 26. All shows with the exception of the Jazz All-Star Night will feature local opening acts. We are very fortunate in Sparta to have a town council which believes in the value of presenting arts to our community; dedicated volunteers who spent months preparing for the season; and to annual sponsors including Eastern Propane, Lakeland Bank, Burke’s Wine and Liquors, Lake Mohawk Country Club, Laddey Clark and Ryan, Bill and Carol Kozy who assist in keeping our programs alive. Grab your coolers, your blankets and your lawn chairs and come out and stake a place on the lawn. I keep thinking, here we are in Sparta, we have gorgeous setting, we have a very proactive and engaged community. How do I possibly spread the word that every year we have absolutely one of the best rosters of performers on a summer concert program anywhere? I hope you will all come out and enjoy these fabulous performers. I personally thank the Sparta Independent, SCAC membership, our very employees. Karl Latham Sparta