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Pfeifer Park rich with activity

Thursday night market, music, workouts

By Scott Bellile


Whether you’ll be working long days or relaxing at home this summer, when it’s time to unwind on Thursday evenings, the Pfeifer Park area will be a destination to shop, socialize and listen to live music.

April Kopitzke, executive director for the New London Area Chamber of Commerce, hopes to increase tourism by starting a new biweekly “bazaar in the park” type event around Pfeifer Park and the adjoining chamber building.

“Shawano Street is a busy street, about 10,000 cars that pass [through] on a daily basis, so I think it’s a prime location to draw the community in,” Kopitzke said.

The chamber of commerce and various community organizations are collaborating to make the first and third Thursdays of the month eventful this summer: June 7, June 21, July 5, July 19, Aug. 2 and Aug. 16.

Wolf River Market
Events will kick off with the Wolf River Market from 3 to 8 p.m. in the chamber parking lot, 420 N. Shawano St.

The market was previously held on Saturday mornings outside Bucky’s Restaurant down the street. Citizen group Forward New London ran the market, but due to declining membership within the organization, the chamber took over.

Shoppers will find items such as fresh produce, meats and crafts. Vendors who participated in the Saturday market outside Bucky’s were invited to return, Kopitzke said.

The Wolf River Market will take place every Thursday night from June to September, not just on the nights of concerts and workouts.

Group workouts
New this summer, at 5 p.m. on the six aforementioned dates, New London Parks and Recreation will lead free group workouts.

The 45-minute workouts will take place by the park shelter on the west end of Pfeifer Park near the chamber building. Participants should bring a yoga mat and water.

City Recreation Coordinator Ginger Arndt said participants can expect yoga, PiYo, cardio drumming, barre and tai chi.

“We offer all of those programs in session form right now and we want to give the community a chance to try them for free before they register, and this I just thought would be a good way to kind of offer it to the public in more of a relaxed setting,” Arndt added.

Double Down will perform in New London for the July 5 show of the Concerts in the Park series. Photo courtesy of Bananas Entertainment

oncerts in the Park
At 6 p.m., Concerts in the Park will begin.

Concerts in the Park return this year with a modified format. The live music series will decrease from 13 shows to six to build more anticipation throughout the summer, Kopitzke said. The entertainment is mostly new to freshen up the lineup.

Schedule
• June 7: One Hot Mess (rock cover band).

• June 21: Sideshow (rock cover band).

• July 5: Double Down (pop/variety cover band).

• July 19: The Mustard Seeds (oldies, country, gospel).

• Aug. 2: Sheamus Fitzpatrick & the McNally Boys (Celtic).

• Aug. 16: Matt Kolb (Christian, gospel).

The concerts will take place behind the chamber building instead of at last year’s location of the east park shelter. The shows are free.

New London Bulldogs of Character will be on site distributing water and popsicles. The New London Lions Club will sell beer and brats.

The New London Tourism Commission funds the concerts. Shows are coordinated by the chamber, His Way Events (July 19 and Aug. 16) and the Shamrock Club of New Dublin (Aug. 2).

In the event of inclement weather, all Thursday night events will be canceled.

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