2nd Street Stage kicks off June 14

The Park Rapids Downtown Business Association invites you to celebrate summer at 2nd Street Stage events Thursday evenings from June 14 through Aug. 16.

The 10 free concerts will run from 6 to 8 p.m. (7 to 9 p.m. Aug. 9) with bands, a beer garden, cornhole tournaments and family activities on the second block of South Main. Bring your own lawn chair.

The beer garden will open at 5 p.m. for a social hour while you find your spot, listen to the sound check and greet neighbors and friends. Support this great event by buying an official 2018 button and receive $2 off all beverages purchased and a free stadium cup or koozie at the beer garden.

The season begins June 14 with a favorite from the 2017 line up, Rich Mattson and the Northstars, sponsored by TEAM Industries. Mattson is a musician/songwriter and producer/engineer living in Sparta (near Gilbert on the Iron Range). He began performing in 1980 at age 13 and took up songwriting shortly after that. In 1991, he opened his own recording studio in Uptown Minneapolis and over the years has worked with hundreds of artists. Currently he is leading the acoustic folk-rock group, Rich Mattson and the Northstars, and collaborating with his partner Germaine Gemberling. Other band members are drummer Keely Lane and Kyle Westrick. Arrive at 5 for the social hour, sponsored by Timber Creek Dock & Lift Service.

To see the complete summer line up, go to http://www.parkrapidsdowntown.com.

Weekly stage sponsor is R.D. Offutt Farms. Thielen Motors is weekly sound sponsor. This activity is also made possible, in part, by a 3M grant and the voters of Minnesota, through a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.