Groovin' in the Grove: Summer Concerts Return

They’re bringing the music back.

After a one-year absence, the Music at the Grove summer concerts make their return at the on Sunday.

It will be the 24th year that Newark will host the concert series and the events are sure to bring in plenty of attendees, city officials said.

“It’s not just putting on a free concert. It’s creating a place for people to be a part of their community,” said David Zehnder, recreation and community services director for the City of Newark.

Bay Area-based Big Band Beat will launch the series. Big Band Beat is a 12-member band known for playing popular party songs.

The series also includes a performance by the Cheeseballs on July 31 and one by the Hitmen on August 14.

Each concert begins at 1:30 p.m., just a half hour after the weekly ends. Sunday's Farmers Market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Last year, budget cuts led to canceling the concert series. Funds from the nonprofit Newark Betterment Corporation made the concerts possible this year, Zehnder said.

The Newark City Council approved the concerts in late April.

Shirley Sisk Grove is located on a two-acre lot at NewPark Mall Road and Cedar Boulevard in front of .

Here are a few tips to remember if you're attending Sunday's concert:

• Parking is available at the NewPark Mall parking lot. The best areas would be in front of Macy's and Red Robin.
• Bring your own food. Beer and wine are also permitted.
• This year, the grove is not as grassy as it has been in the past. Bring thicker blankets and lawn chairs if you have them.
• Pets must stay at home. They are not allowed in the grove during the concerts.