Season's Last 'Concert in the Park' Draws 1,200 Tuesday Night

Faust Park's 10-week Concert in the Park series concluded Tuesday with the band Yessir playing to a crowd of 1,200 despite rain earlier in the day.

Chesterfield's Chamber of Commerce hosts the series as it has for the past 24 years. The event was apparently the brainchild of the late Chamber President Joanie Schmelig. Schmelig died Aug. 6 at age 70 after nearly three decades of building good will through her work with the Chamber. 

This year the weather did little to cooperate with hosting the concert series. 

Of the 10 concerts scheduled, five were cancelled due to weather—four due to excessive, oppressive heat and one because of rain.

While this last concert drew 1,200 according to Chamber estimates, the evenings typically may draw twice that number, and sometimes triple Tuesday's turnout.

"I think the rain kept some away," said Jim Barnes, Chamber membership chairman. Barnes was one of many members staffing the concession which sells food, candy, and lights during the concerts.

A parent with a toddler speculated that it was now a "school night" since Parkway's first day of school was Tuesday, and that may have impacted turnout.

Many family members got up to dance beside the band on a concrete dance floor.

The concert, under a nearly full moon, ended by 9pm. All signs were the free concerts would start up again next summer.