Published: May 15, 2009 10:06 am      

Get summer off on right note Wednesday

Summer is sometimes a tough season for me to work through. Though I’m thankful for the giant window that runs the length of my office wall, I know that once the spring rains wash out of our region, that window will tempt me with blue skies, cotton-candy clouds and sunny rays I can’t enjoy from the outside and still get a paper out each week.

There is one tradition that I inherited as editor of the Princeton Times that allows me to get a midweek summer fix.

Music in the Square is a tradition with a legacy that spans decades in Princeton’s Town Square, inviting passersby, supporters, artists and audiences to take a lunch break among neighbors and enjoy some of the amazing talent that lives and thrives in Mercer County.

It was in that square, where I watched the Tampa Bay Rays’ No. 1 draft pick autograph a baseball for a fan who had no clue he’d just met a man who earned $6 million in a signing that same signature and playing America’s pastime. Levi Knight knew Tim Beckham was a Princeton Ray who visited Town Square, and that was enough for him.

It’s been in that square where little girls who now share a rock band of their own, played together around the trees and seized the chance to keep the beat on Lori McKinney’s drums as Option 22 entertained the crowd.

There, the ladies of the Mercer County Historical Society, Todd Flatt School Association, the Pam Hawkins Foundation and Alpha Delta Kappa have dedicated their time and cooking skills to feed their friends and neighbors from the concession stand, all while raising money for many causes that touch local hearts and heal lives.

There, musicians like Bill Archer, Karl Miller, Carl Chapin and Peggy Sue Belcher have soothed our spirits with the sounds of songs so familiar and tradition so deep that it just fits right, while newer artists like Option 22, Kathleen Coffee, Captain Lazerblast Band and, soon, Miss Behavin’ have introduced us to new works and a passion that breeds enthusiasm.

There, through it all, The Music Exchange’s Ed Ball and his team have worked tirelessly, coping with an often-frazzled, rushing editor who couldn’t begin to explain the requirements of a sound system and the acoustic qualities of the square — all in an effort to make the music sound good, no matter the environmental challenges.

The first acts of the Music in the Square 2009 season will soon the stage, beginning with the Princeton Senior High School Marching and Jazz bands, under the direction of Julie Kade. Always a season favorite and a mainstay to kick off the Music in the Square season, the band promises to get the audience on its feet with portions of its half-time show and one of the last performances the band will play together.

For the latest summer concert series, Princeton Times organizers have lined up a talented group of performers, from the traditional country sounds of Peggy Sue and Carl to the grace of Princeton Dance Studio, the twists of the Princeton Gymnastics students and the pumping rhythms of the Princeton Health and Fitness Center dancers.

Bill & Karl will present their familiar favorites detailing the history of the region, and Miss Behavin’ will bring young exuberance to the community venue.

We’ve even worked to make sure there will be food on hand for lunch and seats to sit in for the shows that feature local artists in a venue free for all.

The only thing the events cost is a lunch hour out of the office or away from the house, in fresh air and amid neighbors.

Although the concerts may seem like small things, small events help build a big sense of community spirit, a sense of pride in the talent and resources available in southern West Virginia, and a sense of togetherness in a world that moves so fast that connecting is difficult at best.

Come connect with us.

Music in the Square begins May 20 and will continue each Wednesday at noon, weather permitting. The PSHS Band always delivers a show worthy of a really big audience, and the Pam Hawkins Foundation will sell concessions.

I’ll be there, looking for my next Music in the Square memory to serve as a ray of sunshine on those days when stories keep me in.

I hope to see you there.

Tammie Toler is Princeton Times editor. Contact her at ttoler@ptonline.net.