A Savannah-based big band that boasts of a “fiery hot” style will play for an outdoor concert May 7 in downtown Hopkinsville.
Billed as Picnic with the Pops, the show sponsored by the Pennyroyal Arts Council will feature the Fabulous Equinox Orchestra playing on Sixth Street. Lead musicians for the orchestra are Jeremy Davis and Clay Johnson.
“The soulful big band will entertain from the Arthur Plaza parking lot on Sixth Street with timeless favorites for fans of every genre — a dash of Motown, a shot of country, some folk and rock sprinkled on top — and the stories behind them serving up a musical banquet that feeds every soul,” the arts council said in a Facebook post.
To accommodate the audience, Sixth Street will be closed, as will Main Street from Fourth Street to Seventh Street, said Margaret Prim, executive director of the arts council.
Three levels of seating, based on a New Orleans theme, include:
- The Royal Court: Seating for eight “placed front and center,” includes tables, chairs, linens and two complimentary bottles of wine — $600, by reservations only
- Krewe: Preferred seating for eight includes a table, chairs, linens — $400, by reservation only
- Throws: Bring your chair and gather at a reserved spot on the lawn in front of the courthouse — $25
Tables can be reserved by contacting Prim at margaret.prim@pennyroyalarts.org or (615)584-0555. Throw tickets for lawn seating can be purchased online.
“Patrons at the event will be encouraged to decorate their tables New Orleans style and support local restaurants with take-out orders in advance for the outdoor show,” the arts council said.
Several downtown restaurants are participating, including The Mixer, The Local, Butter and Grace, Hopkinsville Brewing, Southern Belle, Jennie’s Place and The Corner Coffeehouse.
The event will open at 5:30 p.m., and the music will start at 7:30 p.m.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
