Second Concert in the Park today at Sam Benn

By Sarah McCauley

For The Daily World

Music by artists from around Grays Harbor will echo out of Aberdeen’s Sam Benn Park on Saturday as part of the “Concert in the Park” series. It’s the second of three summer concerts. The featured artists include Stephan Roland, Electric Eye and The Olson Bros Band, which all have ties to the Grays Harbor area.

The family friendly event could fill your Saturday afternoon — with entertainment from 1-6 p.m. Entry is free and people are welcome to pack a picnic lunch or purchase food from vendors. The day will also be filled with games and opportunities to win prizes. Kids can play in the bounce house, for adults, there’s a beer garden and the proceeds go to supporting Grays Harbor youth athletes.

Stephan Roland, a singer from Ocean Shores who often performs at local venues, will kick off the music at 2 p.m. After him the rock band made up of locals called, Electric Eye, whose lead singer is Phillip Luce, also known as “The Luceman” on KIX 95.3, will take the stage. Then the country music band, The Olson Bros Band will take over.

The Olson Bros Band, led by Luke and Isaac Olson, started gaining traction in 2013 when they won the Battle of the Bands at Lakefair in Olympia. They also won a national songwriting contest through the Texaco Country Showdown, which led them to Nashville to be introduced at the Grand Ol’ Opry on top of winning $5,000 and a chance to meet with a publishing company, according to their website. The brothers are originally from Summit Lake and now split their time between Nashville and the Northwest, according to Luce who has gotten to know the band over the years.

The “Concert in the Park Series” was created through a joint effort between KIX 95.3/Alpha Media and The City of Aberdeen Parks and Recreation. “The goal is to provide entertainment for the community and to showcase our local parks and talent,” said Donna Rosi of Alpha Media. “Sam Benn is a terrific venue and this is a great way to introduce the park to people.”

Doug Farmer, the assistant director of the Aberdeen Parks and Recreation department, also helped to organize the event. He said the series got started last year when they successfully hosted one summer concert, also featuring the Olson Bros Band. They decided to turn it into a series of three concerts this year and Saturday’s concert will be the second in the series. The final concert Aug. 25, is in the same location. Farmer said that they would like to see this become an annual event.

“We’re really excited and hoping for a great turnout,” Farmer said.

On top of performing at the event, Luce is also one of the organizers behind the event. He said he is really excited and hopes to see people come out to enjoy the music.

“Bring the family out to the park and have a good time. It’s on us,” Luce said.

There are multiple sponsors supporting “Concert in the Park Series” including: City of Aberdeen, Bud Light, Alpha Media of Grays Harbor, Anchor Bank, Grocery Outlet Aberdeen, Capital Medical Center, The Roof Doctor, and Bubly Sparkling Water distributed locally by Harbor Pacific.