Concerts in the Park Are Starting Up Again for its Annual Summer Series
A Look at What’s to Come
Cody’s annual summer tradition of Concerts in the Park continues this year, bringing a mesh of music genres into the Cody scene. Thanks to the cooperation of local businesses and grants, Cody has been able to put together this evening of fun filled with music, food and entertainment, and a platform for not only bands that are local to Wyoming but from all around the country.
Kayla Rivers, the coordinator for the Concerts in the Park said that, “Thanks to the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund and the Wyoming Arts Council. They’ve supported us. As well as the City of Cody, and all of our generous sponsors . . . We’ve had consistent local businesses sponsor it year after year, so the concerts are completely free.”
Kayla Rivers has been involved in Concerts in the Park for about 7 summers, and has brought back the eight-series-set, expanding the amount of time throughout the summer that these concerts will take place.
“We want families to have a fun experience in town, having a place for those local families to come and enjoy live music week after week,” said Rivers.
A Beer Garden in partnership with Yellowstone Beer Fest is also hosted during the Concerts in the Park, featuring local breweries that rotate each week in order to raise funds for local non-profit organizations. Each week throughout the summer is dedicated to a different local non-profit.
This year, Concerts in the Park decided to expand the concert series from its typical July to August schedule to mid-June to August with the exception of a pause for the week of 4th of July. Performances will be covering several different music genres including Blues, Folk Country, Alternative Country, 80’s – 90’s Rock, and more with bands such as Soul Skillet, Carter Junction, Reesie Rae and Father Time, and will span from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Thursday.
Generally, bands are able to apply in October or November for the upcoming summer through the City of Cody website or through an email list that Rivers sends out every year. After this, in February bands are discussed and selected to play. The applications are also advertised on the Cody Concerts in the Park Facebook page.
The Concerts in the Park have always been a great way to bring the community together to enjoy local food, music, enhance the local culture, and introduce newer bands into the music scene.
“Thank you to the continuous and past sponsors. We definitely couldn’t do it without them,” Rivers said. “I’m very thankful for all of the donations that we get year after year.”
The Cody Concerts in the Park Facebook page has continuous updates regarding the music lineup as well as dates and times.
Cody Journal Journalist
Ava Junker is a student at the University of Wyoming pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism. Growing up and moving around as a military brat, her family finally settled in Cody, Wyoming where she graduated from Cody High School. Since then, she has worked as the Digital Editor-in-chief for the university’s paper, “The Branding Iron,” and is now a journalist for our journal.
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