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Concert in the Park 2026 Update (Laura Armanino, Recreation Manager)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that the Parks and Recreation Commission be updated on the Department's Concert in the Park event taking place on September 12, 2026.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
Planning continues for the 2026 Concert in the Park event held at Orange Memorial Park. The event will take place on September 12, from 11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Due to construction of the aquatic center, this event will take place again for the third year in the picnic meadow off of Memorial Drive. The event layout has been updated to allow for more space for concertgoers to spread out and enjoy the festivities. The vendor area and food trucks have been relocated to allow for more open space in the meadow lawn area. Their new locations for these event amenities are shown on the map in Attachment 1.
Headlining Performer: Kool & the Gang
The most renown headliner ever to perform at Concert in the Park, staff is pleased to welcome Grammy Award-winning artist, Kool & the Gang.
Kool & the Gang has performed continuously longer than any R&B group in history. Their undeniable funk and jazzy arrangements have also made them the most sampled R&B band of all time. Every year, even after a half-century on the road, yields a non-stop schedule of shows across the globe.
Thanks to iconic songs like Celebration, Cherish, Jungle Boogie, Summer Madness, and Open Sesame, they've earned several awards, a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame, an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June 2018 and most recently, an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - Class of 2024.
Today, the group enjoys global fame and recognition along with a following that spans generations due in part to the group's widely sampled catalogue. Their music is heard everywhere, from movie soundtracks to television commercials, including Rocky, Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction, Wreck-It Ralph and...
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