"Everytime we book this date, we're told we can't put it on our website or advertise it, to keep the crowds down," Joe Sharino told an audience nearing 5,000 at the Los Gatos Civic Center Sunday evening. "Didn't work," he concluded with a grin.
Music in the Park 2007 concluded Sunday with a proven crowd-pleaser--the local Joe Sharino Band. The crowds picnicking on the lawn are usually confined to the shady sections, but the throng was wall-to-wall for this show. The pathways were busy with people dancing, and the crowd spilled onto the sidewalk and, at times, into Main St.
"It's the Los Gatos "Be"-in," said Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company owner Teri Hope. Everyone was there (obviously) including Mayor Joe Pirzynski, Vice Mayor Barbara Spector and her husband Ira, and Councilmember Mike Wasserman. They were at the Pascagoula Relief tent, encouraging people to donate to help victims of Hurricane Katrina in Los Gatos' sister city, Pascagoula, Mississippi. Donors received stretchy bracelets reading "Los Gatos has ♥."
Music in the Park is 9 or 10 free summer Sunday concerts, presented each year by the Town of Los Gatos Arts Commission. Valerie Hopkins heads the MIP subcommittee. Each show is sponsored, and civic-minded individuals contribute to the series. Silver Sponsors ($250) include Sandy & Gil Decker, Sallie & Jay Druian (The French Cellar), Dave & Shari Flick, Jim & Patti Levitt, Scott & Christina Seaman, Triplett Financial Services and The Terraces of Los Gatos. Friends ($100) include Noreen & Art Christopher, The Conlisk Family, Mike & Kim Wasserman, and the San Jose Opera Guild.
The Pascagoula Day event was started last year by then-mayor Diane McNutt. It is hard to believe it has been two years since the hurricance devasted the New Orleans region.
I'm glad we're continuing our support for Pascagola," Mayor Pirzynski said.
"There were 5,000 people living in FEMA trailers the first time we went down there," Los Gatan Dave Henderson said. "And there are still 1,500 in trailers." Henderson will lead a group of 30 volunteers back to Pascagoula Sept. 19. It will be Henderson's 5th trip. "We'll do insulation, sheetrock, tiling, roofing--whatever we need to do to get these people back in their homes," Henderson says. He particularly appreciates the support of local construction firm Toeniskoetter & Breeding and its president, Tony Mirenda.
Other people sighted at the party included Colleen Wilcox, Superintendent of Santa Clara County Public Schools, Arts Commissioners Elke Grove, Jade Bradbury and her husband, Bill Kalogeros, Planning Commissioners Michael Kane and Marico Sayoc, School Boardmember Chris Miller, and well-known members of the Los Gatos/Monte Sereno Police Dept. Sgt. Tam McCarty and Officer Carlos Torres.
"Everything about this summer's activities has been superb," Mayor Pirzynski said, smiling. "The weather could not be better," he added, taking in the blue sky and balmy air. "All good things come to an end," he concluded wistfully as the band wrapped up its two-hour show and the crowd began to disperse. "But," Pirzynski said, smiling again, "next month we'll have Screen on the Green."
Related Articles
Joe Sharino Closes Music in the Park (8/27/06)
Post to del.icio.us
Post to Reddit
