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Park City Library lends itself to local live music

One of the Park City Library's programming that benefits from the Friends of the Park City Library's Winterfest used book sale is Music on the Patio. The free concert series, which takes place during the summer, features an array of musicians who perform acoustic and semi-acoustic sets.
Tanzi Propst/Park Record | The Park Record

What: Music on the Patio

When: 11 a.m.-2 p.m., every Wednesday

Where: Park City Library, 1255 Park Ave.

Cost: Free

Web: parkcitylibrary.org

Music on the Patio 2020 schedule:

July

• 8 — Teresa Eggertsen Cook

• 15 — Alma Russ

• 22 — Christine Kinslow

• 29 — Jessa Young

August

• 5 — Shannon Runyon

• 12 — Scott Klismith

• 19 — Brother Chucky

• 26 — Rick Gerber

September

• 2 — Nicole Paradiso

Schedule is subject to change.

Live music is back at the Park City Library.

The Music on the Patio series will present weekly acoustic concerts that run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays from June 24 through Sept. 2, thanks to a partnership among the library, Friends of the Park City Library and Mountain Town Music, said Kate Mapp, adult services librarian.

“This is one of the most anticipated events of the summer for the library and the community, because it’s like a bridge that brings together the patio, Lucky Ones Coffee shop and local musicians,” Mapp said (See accompanying schedule).



It’s also one of the few places in Park City and Summit County that offers free live music during the coronavirus pandemic, she said.

We are lucky to have that patio and the library field where people can spread out as far as they want…” Kate Mapp, adult services librarian, Park City Library

“With COVID everyone is trying to figure out how we can be together, so we are lucky to have that patio and the library field where people can spread out as far as they want so they can maintain social distancing,” Mapp said. “We’ll also have some cones that will also designate areas where people can set up.”



The performing musicians, as they have done in the past four years, will set up on the patio, and perform through speakers, according to Mapp.

“Although the music is amplified, it’s not crazy loud, but people can still hear it across the library field, which connects to the patio,” she said. “In addition, the library will open the large sliding glass doors that open up to the patio, so Lucky Ones customers can also enjoy the music.”

Brain Richards, Mountain Town Music’s conductor of community musical affairs, books the musicians and said the series had originally been canceled when COVID-19 hit Summit County and Park City.

Things changed when the Summit County Health Department began relaxing some of the coronavirus-fighting restrictions in the past few weeks, he said.

“Once the restrictions were lifted a little bit, Kate decided to continue to move forward with the music,” Richards said.

The original idea for Music on the Patio was inspired by singer-songwriter performances in coffee shops across the country, he said.

“The idea is to create a little ambiance for the people who were sitting outside in a beautiful environment who were there getting some books, enjoying a cup of coffee or meeting with someone,” he said. “It’s a great place to hang out.”

Although Mountain Town Music is in charge of booking the local talent and promoting the series, Friends of the Park City Library, the nonprofit that raises money to supplement the library’s annual budget through membership dues, is the concert series’ main sponsor, according to Richards.

Friends of the Library had approved the $2,400 budget for the series, and also paid for flower pots that would add ambiance to the stage area, said Jean Daly, Friends of the Library co-chair.

“Up until a month ago it looked like nothing would happen, and that was sad, because the library is like a community living room,” Daly said. “So we’re happy that Kate and Brian got together and found a way to do this in a way that people can still social distance themselves.”

The library is currently open in a limited way for library card holders, and will maintain restrictions during the Wednesday concerts, Mapp said.

“Library card holders can reserve a room for studying, or use a computer,” she said. “They can also call in to check out a book, and we can hand it to them curbside, or find them on the patio during the performances.”

Richards says starting the series is good news for the local music community.

“I had sent out so many emails about cancellations, so to send out an email that said the library was going to move forward on this made me happy for the musicians,” he said. “I know they’ve had so many gigs canceled over the course of the next six months, so it was pretty cool to tell them they have this gig.”

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