Marble Falls Summer Concert Series set
Rick Trevino will kick off the 2023 Summer Concert Series at Johnson Park, 230 Avenue J in Marble Falls, on June 2. Free shows will continue through August. Courtesy photo
The Marble Falls City Council approved about $145,000 in funding for production costs and talent acquisition for the 2023 Summer Concert Series. The free performances will be Fridays from June 2 through Aug. 4 at Johnson Park, 230 Avenue J in Marble Falls. The final act, a ticketed show, is on Saturday, Aug. 12.
The series will have a range of musical genres and styles, including rock, country, and cover bands. The closing act on Aug. 12 will be Texas country artist Pat Green.
Returning for a third year, country artist Rick Trevino opens the series on June 2. Rock group Hair Metal Giants is set for June 9.
Other acts are:
- LaDezz on June 16
- Departure ATX on June 23
- Dysfunkshun Junkshun on July 1
- John Arthur Martinez on July 7
- The Wilder Blue on July 14
- Bryan Anthony & the Lucky 7 on July 21
- Nightbird on July 28
- The John Conlee Show on Aug. 4
Funding was approved during the City Council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, April 4.
Councilor Reed Norman asked Mayor Richard Westerman to move the item from the consent agenda to the regular agenda to allow discussion. Consent agenda items are all approved at one time with little discussion.
“I just think, in the interest of transparency, we should hear this one out,” Norman said. “It is a lot of money.”
Westerman agreed to move the item but reminded councilors that funding for the series had already been approved during the city’s budget process.
“I realize this is a large amount. We’re always concerned about those things,” Westerman said. “It was presented in the budget, and the item was discussed earlier. It was approved unanimously.”
Marble Falls Parks and Recreation Director Lacey Dingman outlined how the money would be spent, adding that the series has other sources of funding.
“We get a large contribution from our HOT (hotel occupancy tax) funding towards this event,” she said. “We also have revenue that the final ticketed event generates to offset the expenses.”
Local sponsorships could also offset costs.
“In this economy, I don’t want to lead (councilors) into thinking it’s possible that we’re going to sell 100 percent of sponsorships, but we’re going to try and I do think we’ll have the ability to recoup even more revenue there,” she continued.
Regardless of cost, Dingman believes the series fits the parks department’s mission.
“Our real purpose is building quality of life for those who live here and those who want to come visit us,” she said. “We haven’t really taken the mindset that we’re a for-profit business.”
Councilor Dee Haddock spoke favorably of the series’ success, saying it was crucial to keeping a “small-town feel” for residents.
“I would submit to you all that this is the way we do it,” he said. “It gathers people in the community to an event.”
After discussion, councilors unanimously approved the motion by a 6-0 vote. Councilor Bryan Walker was absent from the meeting.
IN OTHER BUSINESS
A right-of-way abandonment issue approved during a regular meeting on Jan. 3 was adjusted in another vote at the April 4 meeting. Originally, the abandonment request was for 0.18 acres to help facilitate the remodel of the original location of Bella Sera Italian Restaurant, 1125 U.S. 281. The request was changed to 0.09 acres.
Bella Sera owner Vebi Mustafa said he applied for the reconsideration because of the difference in price between the previously approved 0.18-acre abandonment valued at roughly $80,000 versus the 0.09-acre abandonment priced at $18,054.10.
“I’d really like to own all the property, but I can’t afford the $80,000,” he said.
Councilor Griff Morris asked Mustafa to provide a goal for when remodeling would finish.
“We’re looking at a year,” said Naim Dodre, a Bella Sera employee, who helped translate for Mustafa. “That means something that’s a safe bet. We want to get it fixed as soon as possible.”