When Bridget Wear created the Point Loma Concert Series in 2001, she united the community through live music by offering a common ground away from boundaries such as age, social class and political affiliation. Her vision formed a growing family that faithfully volunteers to produce the celebrated event every year.
The summer concerts are a community service project of the non-profit Point Loma Association in collaboration with more than a dozen local civic and youth groups. But unlike most other concert projects in San Diego, Point Loma Concert Series is built on a foundation of community collaboration and is not produced by just one civic organization or business improvement district. The Peninsula Lions Club provides beverage service at the summer concerts, while the Point Loma Optimist Club provides a crew for field set-up. The Point Loma Association provides concert hosts and youth groups including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, MADCAPS and United Portuguese S.E.S. Additional volunteers from Point Loma Rotary, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and Point Loma Nazarene University will pass out programs and help with other jobs throughout the evenings.
The concerts have strengthened the Point Loma community and promote neighborhood pride by creating opportunities for more than 150 volunteers. The event demonstrates the power of collaboration among local organizations, businesses and government, as well as increasing social capital for local businesses. The concerts offer an opportunity to showcase local talent.
Annually, the concerts committee produces free, family-friendly events on five consecutive Friday nights beginning July 21. The concerts are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Point Loma Park in the Optimist Field. Every effort is made to accommodate all in the community and handicapped parking and a free off-site parking shuttle service is offered at the concert venue.
In order to attract the broadest audience possible, bands are selected to represent different eras and styles including boogie-woogie, big band, Latin jazz, Caribbean, rock ‘n’ roll, Motown, R& B and classic rock.
“We take special pride and pleasure in working with selected local talent, youth and adults, who are invited to perform and to volunteer,” said Lee Lipsey, co-chair of the series. “This local talent showcase is a unique feature of Point Loma Summer Concerts.”
Along with a wish for a community collective, the committee is also motivated by a desire to support art education.
“We are dismayed by cuts in funding for visual and performing arts classes and events in our public schools,” said Pat Baker, chairwoman for the series. “We target public schools in the Point Loma High School cluster with total enrollment of about 7,000 students and invite these young people to experience the joy of live music and encourage the bands to make a special effort to engage kids in the audience.”
Point Loma Park is the venue for the summer concerts and is located at 1049 Catalina Blvd. The concert venue is to the east of the pocket park area at the corner of Varona Street. Pedestrians can access the venue via the sidewalk east of Catalina on Varona Street and through a walkway at the end of Manor Way. For handicapped and volunteer parking, follow signs or traffic management directions to the lot next to Fire Station Number 22.
“I must say that it is a great honor to receive the gift that these folks give us each year,” said Fran Reisling, a Point Loma resident. “I mean, the turn out at these concerts is unbelievable because you see families want to take a break and desire a place where everyone gets along and smiles.”
For information on concert series volunteers and for a listing of bands, visit www.plconcerts.org.