After a first taste of Appleton’s latest stage, residents got down to some daydreaming.
And should even a few of the community’s thoughts and recommendations come to fruition, Downtown Appleton stands to rise yet another level as an entertainment destination.
The City of Appleton joined in on Valley Review’s call for suggestions on future uses for the Miron Construction Amphitheater at Jones Park. The city posted a call for ideas on Facebook over the weekend.
Aside from a few wisecracks, responses were nothing less than thoughtful.
Musical suggestions ranged from performances of the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra to a jazz festival or jazz concert series. There was a suggestion of opera as performed at the Milwaukee lakefront. Another hoped to see gospel and bluegrass.
One user suggested greater use of Jones Park for Thursday evening concerts — both for the additional space it affords and for the playground that’s in view of and within earshot of the stage.
It’s a venue that could accommodate bigger acts.
Some asked for the national, often nostalgic acts in the vein of Oshkosh’s Waterfest concert series, which hosted Joan Jett and Dennis DeYoung among others this year. Others were less than enthused for the prospect of bigger names.
Many residents could envision enjoyable evenings beyond concerts.
Suggestions included theatre to include Shakespeare in the Park.
One commenter recommended family movie nights. Another suggested pro wrestling.
The exercise demonstrated that the options are indeed many.
The Jones Park stage further cemented Appleton’s place as a music city — it’s the third major, public park stage.
Pierce Park’s bandstand hosts the Appleton City Band on a weekly basis during the summer. The amphitheater at Memorial Park has hosted national acts and big community events such as the annual Independence Day gathering or the upcoming Babapalooza event.
The Miron Construction Amphitheater debuted during Mile of Music and hosted two full days of concerts.
Jones Park re-opened to the public earlier that week following extensive renovations.
