PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend Main Street Program’s annual summer concert series is going green with stainless steel and clay cups.
“Recycling has always been an issue down there,” said Mari Mullen, executive director of the Main Street Program. “So this year we’re making an effort to cut down on waste by eliminating those plastic cups.”
When Peninsula-based Joy in Mudville kicks off the 2017 Concerts on the Dock series Thursday, beer, wine and cider will be served in customized “Concerts on the Dock” stainless steel cups or pottery cups made by local LaughinGnome Pottery.
Mullen said the reusable cups would be available for a $5 deposit. When they are returned at the end of concert the deposit will be reimbursed to the customer.
“We really want people to rent cups and go green with us this year,” Mullen said.
Mullen said a trial batch of 1,000 stainless steel cups and 200 pottery cups will be available at the concert at Pope Marine Park, 1000 Madison St., on Thursday.
Seating will be open starting at 4:30 p.m. and music will run from 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
“We want people to come out and dance, and we want them to visualize sunshine for the next few Thursdays,” Mullen said.
Concerts will continue every Thursday until Aug. 31.
Mullen said the non-disposal cups were inspired by the Northwest Maritime Center, which served beer and wine in mason jars during its pre-Race to Alaska Ruckus in June.
This is the eighth year that the Main Street Program hosts Concerts on the Dock. Main Street worked with the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce on the event in 2011 and then took it over in 2012.
The concerts originally were a joint venture between the Chamber of Commerce and Water Street Brewing.
However, according to Main Street Program music director Dominic Svornich, the event declined after Water Street Brewery closed in 2010.
“Without the brewery involved it started to lose its draw,” Svornich said.
Svornich, who served on the boards of both the Main Street Program and the chamber of commerce, suggested the Main Street Program take over the event.
“We came up with a new strategy and a new budget and all of us just kind of made it happen,” Svornich said.
For the past eight year the concerts have been held at Pope Marine Park, with the City of Port Townsend donating the space. It hosts vendors serving beer, wine, cider, coffee, food or offering activities such as massage or henna tattoos.
“Our dream was to have it be a festival atmosphere,” Mullen said. “It took a few years, but I think we’ve got it now.”
New vendors this year include Flutter By Pizza and Fiddlehead Creamery, which will serve ice cream at this year’s concerts.
Svornich said he has been working hard to get new and bigger bands to attend the festival, along with the local favorites.
“We’re trying to expand and I’m hoping for at least one big Seattle or Portland based band per year,” Svornich said.
This year’s big draw is Grace Love, a Seattle-based soul artist who will be performing with an eight-piece horn band July 20.
However local bands, such as Uncle Funk & the Dope 6, won’t be left out.
After Thursday, the line-up, which can be found at ptmainstreet.org/ concerts-on-the-dock, is:
• July 20 – Grace Love; rocking soul music.
• July 27 – Ranger & the “Re-Arrangers”; Gypsy jazz and swing.
• Aug. 3 – Uncle Funk & the Dope 6; party/dance music.
• Aug. 10 – Rooster Crow; alt-country rock.
• Aug. 17 – Solvents & Famous Lucy; folk and Western soul.
• Aug. 24 – The High Council; “music for the head.”
• Aug. 31 – Kevin Mason and the PT All Stars.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
