MOSSYROCK — Summer sun, sounds of swing — just add a barbecue, a glass or two of wine, 30 to 40 people on Lake Mayfield and you have the opening night of the Swing Band Festival, part one of a new summer concert series in Mossyrock.
Last year’s music and wine event on Mayfield Lake, the Harmony Jazz and Wine Festival, was so popular, coordinators have expanded the event to a three-weekend Mayfield Lake Summer Tunes concert series.
Each concert will take place at the Harmony Lakeside RV Park.
“We had a really good response last year,” said Shelly Arenas, communications director at the East Lewis County Chamber of Commerce. “We decided, ‘It’s a neat place to do it, let’s grow it.’”
In support of their idea to “grow” the event, Ron and Joyce Hinkley built a permanent wooden stage to accommodate the 15 different groups that will be performing during the six days of the series, which also includes a dinner show on Aug. 22 and the second annual Harmony Jazz and Wine Festival on Sept. 11-13.
The RV park is providing its location free of charge to help support the fundraising efforts of the chamber for scholarships and community development projects, and to promote tourism, according to Joyce Hinkley.
Friday night, as the July sun set and music swelled to fill the balmy air over Mayfield Lake, the 35 or so guests appeared to be enjoying this opportunity to support local business.
“We like to come out and support the local activities and help get some tourism going,” said Silver Creek resident Hilda Douglas. Douglas and her husband, Russell, attended the jazz and wine festival last year.
The festival continues through today, from noon to 9:30 p.m. Arenas said she anticipates between 200 and 400 people on Saturday.
The cost of entry is $25. Tickets are available at the gate or online at www.summertunes.org. The event is open to adults 21 and older only.
Food and merchandise vendors will be on hand, as will Weatherwax Cellars of Centralia, Stinas Cellars of University Place and Wells Winery of Onalaska.
Bands will include Mud Bay Swing Band, the Shelly Rudolph Duo, Easy Street, Johnny Lewis Band from Olympia. Johnny Lewis and Robert Moore. For more on the musicians, visit the Summer Tunes Web site
