Concerts on the Green at Kate Sessions Park, an annual free Pacific Beach summer tradition, is back this year 4 p.m. Sunday afternoons on four consecutive weekends July 24-Aug. 14.
“The park is beautiful and it has some of the best views in San Diego,” said Marcella Bothwell, president of Pacific Beach Town Council, which is presenting the four-concert series estimated to cost $33,683. “We want to share that with the rest of San Diego.”
The updated contemporary musical series at the park on Soledad Road has improvements this year. “Previously, we just used the top of the park and I’ve always dreamed – and everyone always has wanted – to put the stage down the hill,” noted Bothwell, who has run the concert series since 2017. “I decided this is the year we’re going to do this, put the stage at the base of the hill and use the entire hill as a natural amphitheater.”
This year’s unique staging will overlook the city skyline during each evening show from 4-6:30 p.m. The entire concert series will be family-friendly.
The live music events also are made possible only by the generous contributions from individuals and businesses in the Pacific Beach community and all across San Diego.
Certain event dates will be specially themed. Another new feature of the concert series this year will be the addition of visual arts from local performing artists. One date is traditionally a community-service paired event showcasing local organizations such as beautifulPB, Friends of Rose Creek, Pacific Beach Woman’s Club, and first responders emergency services including SDFD, lifeguards, SDPD Northern Division, and park rangers.
Concerts on the Green presents a different side to the beach: one where all are welcome and families with children are the priority. The community is seeking to rebrand Pacific Beach, altering its image from that of a “college bar” area to a national and international travel destination where whole families can come to enjoy the arts, music, beautiful beaches, and a funky community with restaurants, bars, and a shopping scene.
Bothwell said concert guests will likely be allowed to bring low umbrellas for shade and comfort on the sides of the concert site. She noted last year’s crowd for the lone concert was only about 1,000, adding PBTC expects that figure could double this year. “People are just ready to get out,” Bothwell said, adding there is plenty of room in the future for expansion. “The new layout might make for a big change,” she pointed out noting there are also plans to have a halftime this year at Concerts on the Green.
“I’m hoping to have a couple of special things, a yoga presentation, and a presentation by a dance studio that does Latin dance,” Bothwell said of the halftime shows. “The other thing we’ve always done is a community night where we have a firetruck, which will be Aug. 7.”
Bothwell said the beach community’s new image will be on display at Concerts on the Green. “It’s a family-friendly event with lots of kids dancing,” she said adding there will be refreshments available for sale from a couple of local businesses.
“If people like the new format, and it gets a good response, then next year we might bring in some food and other booths, though we’re not doing that this year,” she said.
This year’s band lineup is also really diverse. “We’ll have music from the ’70s and ’80s including yacht and modern rock, as well as a feverish dance band with horns,” said Bothwell. “We’ll even have some Latin reggae. It’s going to be fun.”
Event sponsors:
Platinum: Crystal Pier Hotel & Cottages, Hickman Robinson Law, Campland on the Bay, Pure San Diego Real Estate, Broken Yolk, Pueblo, Belmont Park, Golba Architecture, Inc., KD Development, Cannabist PB, Redline Custom Contracting, Team Cairncross Realtor, Platinum/Seed to Sale.
Gold: Pure San Diego Real Estate, Campland on the Bay, Crystal Pier Hotel & Cottages, The Broken Yolk, KD Development Inc., Platinum Cannabis, Pueblo, Golba Architecture Inc., Team Cairncross Realtors, Belmont Park, Cannabist, Hickman Robinson Law, Redline Custom Contracting.
Silver: Sea Point Partners, Riviera Property Management, Discover PB, The PB Women’s Club, and individual contributions from SD Firefighters.
Bronze: Filippi’s Pizza Grotto and the Kiwanis Club.
CONCERTS ON THE GREEN LINEUP
July 24: Captain J and the Jive Crew (yacht rock).
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKHyy5tHLQ4
July 31: The Radio Thieves (modern pop-rock).
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWyNDLfihiY&t=9s
Aug. 7: The Mighty Untouchables (feverish dance band).
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk5m1ycZG4s
Aug. 14: SM Familia (reggae and hot Latin).
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-TNMoT1eAs
Event fundraising goal: To cover the estimated $33,683 for the four-concert series, supplementing a City of San Diego Commission for Arts & Culture donation of $10,000, PBTC needs about $23,683 to be raised by community sponsors.
