The Oakdale Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring its traditional Concerts in the Park summer series every Friday night at 6:30 p.m.

The series kicked off this past Friday night, July 14 with Never 2 Late and runs through Aug. 25. Headliners include Valley Fire, Fade to Blue, and Live Again.

The concert series, which has been a community event since 1991, is a favorite summer staple. Never 2 Late performed in Dorada Park (also known as the “Wood Park”) last Friday evening. They had an audience of all ages, from younger kids jumping around to the music to residents of Astoria Senior Living piling out of their bus to listen.

“We usually have anywhere from 300 to 500 people,” Mary Guardiola, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce noted.

The park provided much-needed shade to escape the heat, and some sponsor booths were on scene to hand out water and koozies. The kettle corn booth, the only vendor permitted during concert nights, sold kettle corn and sodas to the audience.

Never 2 Late’s eclectic music style was in part due to the fact that the band’s main singer had gotten sick last minute, so Never 2 Late had singers from other groups, like Remedy – which will be playing Aug. 25 for the series finale – come out and perform with them.

Familiar songs included “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison and “Things Goin’ On” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Guardiola reported that which bands play “depends on the interest” within the community. Because of this, fan favorites usually come back every year, and some pique community interest by playing at the Chocolate Festival in May.

The concerts in the park are “just a community event” as Guardiola said. It’s a chance for everyone to listen to music and spend time with one another.

Oakdale Community Band is scheduled to play next, on Friday, July 21 at 6:30 p.m. in Dorada Park.

For further information on bands playing or how to become a sponsor, contact the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce at (209)847-2244.