The Plaza Theatre Philanthropy Annex Opens
by Mary Johnson

Summertime concert going is especially fun in El Paso, given that the city’s biggest free music festivals are in full swing from June until August. Music Under the Stars and Alfresco! Fridays provide free outdoor concerts all summer long, and the lineup this season is especially spectacular. With musical groups like Radio La Chusma and Noche Ranchera, concert-goers can expect a great time.

The festivals each offer great live music performances but are at very different venues. Music Under the Stars is held at the Chamizal National Memorial, and attendees can be seen walking into the venue with picnic baskets, blankets and beverages. Music lovers at Alfresco! Fridays are often coming straight from work, donning office attire and carrying briefcases. Thanks to the masterminds of scheduling, it’s easy to attend both concerts each week— Music Under the Stars is every Sunday at 7:30 p.m., and Alfresco! Fridays are at 5:30 p.m. every Friday, June 15 through Aug. 17.

Both of these festivals have been long-running staples for the El Paso music scene. Music Under the Stars is in it 24th year, and event planners are expecting more than 100,000 people to attend the 2007 season, making it one of the largest free music festivals in the state of Texas. “This year, an added Fourth of July Patriotic Concert by the El Paso Symphony Orchestra with a fireworks finale will likely increase overall attendance significantly,” says Ben Fyfe, Arts and Education Programs specialist at the Museums and Cultural Affairs Department (MCAD) for the city of El Paso.

Alfresco! Fridays is in its fifth year and will take place in the newly renovated Arts Festival Plaza between the El Paso Museum of Art and the Plaza Theatre Downtown. The Arts Festival Plaza offers concert-goers shade and a chance stay Downtown after a day at work. The event typically brings 5,000 people each season and expects growth this year given the renovated space and growing awareness for all things Downtown.

Festivals of this nature take a tremendous amount of work to produce and cost thousands of dollars. According to Fyfe, a mixture of elements must come together to get these two festivals off the ground. MCAD uses part of its annual budget and some hotel occupancy tax (HOT) funds to promote cultural tourism. In addition to that, grants and corporate and private sponsorships as well as support from local businesses play vital roles in bringing events like these to life.

Perhaps more challenging than the logistical planning, MCAD also has to design a lineup that will guarantee big audiences at every event. Bands can apply on the MCAD website (www.elpasotexas.gov/mcad) and submit CDs and press clippings for consideration. Throughout the year, MCAD fields calls and requests from artists and agencies, and by Oct. 31, a short list is created based on artist fees, availability, genre and quality of support materials. From there, a selection panel approves the lineup or sends a request for more choices.

Lucky enough to make the cut for the 2007 season are bands like Billy Townes & Modern Session (Alfresco! Friday, June 22), El Paso Symphony Orchestra (Music Under the Stars, July 4), Charlie Russell (Alfresco! Friday, July 6) and many more. For full lineups and event information, visit the MCAD website at www.elpasotexas.gov/mcad.

***This article was originally published in the June issue of El Paso Magazine.