A free outdoor concert series hosted by the Freeport Renaissance Association will bring live music to Freeport’s Riverside Park.

“I think it’s something that, especially after all that we’ve been through, people can look forward to,” said Mary Bowlin, president of the Freeport Renaissance Association, an organization dedicated to promoting and beautifying Freeport.

Last year, with covid-19 mitigation measures in place, the group couldn’t host any events at the beginning of the summer. They did host one outdoor concert in August, Bowlin said.

“People were just so grateful to be out at a community event again,” she said. “With some of the restrictions loosening now, we felt that we could do it very easily.”

The first concert is slated for next Friday, with Dos Acoustics performing at Riverside Park at 7 p.m.

“Dos Acoustics is just what it sounds like: two people playing acoustic guitars,” said Mike Vasey, who constitutes half of the duo.

Dos Acoustics plays covers of songs ranging from classic rock to modern rock.

“The difference between us and other acoustic duos is that I do what’s calling looping with the guitar,” Vasey said.

Using a looper, a device popularized by Ed Sheeran, Vasey can record snippets of music from the guitar that he can start as they play. Percussion sounds can make the duo sound more like an entire band, he said.

Vasey plays alongside Rick Phillips, who plays a bass guitar. Both live in New Kensington.

Though they sometimes travel to play, the pair often enjoys performing in the Alle-Kiski Valley, close to family and friends, Vasey said.

“Rick and I have been playing together for the better part of 20 years in various rock bands,” Vasey said. “Just before the pandemic started, our band had broken up, and we were just in limbo between bands. We decided to put this thing together because we still wanted to play and have fun and make a little bit of money.”

Later in the summer, Freeport Renaissance Association will host The Knockoffs on July 9 and Murphy’s Music Center Big Band on Aug. 13, also at Freeport’s Riverside Park.

There’s plenty of space near the gazebo for guests to watch the shows, Bowlin said. Boaters can dock at the boat dock and listen.

Bowlin said she anticipates between 100 and 150 people to attend their first concert of the year.

Sonny’s Smorgasbord, a local food truck, will be selling food, Bowlin said.

Volunteers needed

There is no cost to enjoy the concert, Bowlin said, but she would encourage people to consider volunteering with the Freeport Renaissance Association. The group — which provides a plethora of community services, ranging from the concerts in the park to hanging and maintaining flower baskets on parking meters — is lacking volunteers, with many steady volunteers less active during the pandemic.

“We would love for people to give us the gift of their time,” Bowlin said.

Anyone interested in volunteering can contact the organization through their Facebook page or reach out to Bowlin at 724-681-3826.

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