Lawn Chair Concert, Founders Park, ends with big turnout
Despite the somewhat ominous forecast predicted for the evening, the skies chose rocking over rain Saturday, Aug. 17, for Farragut’s Lawn Chair Concert in Founders Park at Campbell Station, and folks apparently anticipated as much and poured in.
Clearly boasting the best turnout of the Town of Farragut’s Summer Concert Series, people arriving an hour early had to park at Westgate Church or elsewhere, with the park’s lot packed with vehicles still streaming in, folks unloading kids, dogs and chairs and making their way to the grounds to soak up the music, food and fun that prevailed over an evening that earlier was shaping up to be a meteorological bummer.
Kicking things off was Farragut High Marching Admirals, lining up at the deep end of the park’s meandering sidewalk, marching to and around the stage to give the crowd a performance before Ms. Nikki and the
UpTown Players took over to flood the atmosphere with a soulful mix of blues, jazz and R&B.
Shandy Dixon is a personal community event organizer and has been the key in which the Town’s concert series is played.With her whole family, she essentially rolls up her sleeves to make this particular series ending happen. This was her ninth — missing one due to COVID-19 sickness a few years ago.
“As far as the bones of everything, it’s myself and my family,” she said. “So if you go around, my mom is working the lemonade stand. These girls,” pointing to an adjacent tent, “we’ve known since they were children, like infants. My family is playing in one of the bands. My son is in the marching band. It’s a family affair for sure,” she laughed.
In days past, Dixon was the lone organizer, from getting the event on the calendar to acquiring sponsorships to finding the bands that wanted a place to play.
“This year is the most I’ve ever been involved with the Town of Farragut,” Dixon said, with the Town being the principle sponsor for this last show of the season, helping more on the sponsorship side.
“They let me keep creative control,” she added, “so I was happy about that.”
Dixon used to do three of these Lawn Chair Concerts a summer in the park, but her help moved on, so she had to pull back on the reins a bit. She was able, though, to keep it rolling last year, but the Town had to take on the first two shows of its new Summer Concert Series, creating the Bluegrass Summer Solstice Concert and Party in the Park, with Dixon keeping the Lawn Chair Concert to bookend the series and the season.
Assuredly echoing the words of those in attendance at the end, Dixon remarked, “It’s been fun,” which could go for all the Town’s summer events, as well looking back as we move on to another season and, hopefully, some more fun.
