Monthly Archives: March 2017

  • Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, Lancaster, Calif. Photo: rickz on Flickr
As our days are gradually filling up with more sunshine, people are spending time outside to enjoy beautiful greenery after the cold season. Some cities are seeing more visitors come through as blooming wildflowers turn their local areas into flower tourism destinations.

Similar to “leaf peeping,” or traveling to view colorful fall foliage, flower tourism attracts people to flower festivals and parks made vibrant during the springtime. Plus, many of these attractions are free and open to the public—even more incentive to enjoy the great outdoors. Check out some places transformed by spring showers and warm weather in our slideshow above. Hopefully you feel inspired to enjoy the natural beauty of the outdoors and visit a park near you!


Last week, we watched Vanessa Ferguson impress judges on NBC’s “The Voice” with her powerful rendition of “Don’t Let Me Down” by the Chainsmokers. The singing competition show is all about discovering new talent in America, but some Levitteers from Ferguson’s hometown of Greensboro, N.C., may recognize her voice from last year’s Levitt AMP Greensboro Music Series, where she performed with the Larry Draughn Music Group.

Ferguson—who is now on R&B singer-songwriter Alicia Keys’ team—reminds us of the many Levitt performers who have previously competed on widely popular reality talent shows. In past blog posts, we’ve featured “America’s Got Talent” contestants Benton Blount (Levitt AMP Jacksonville 2016) and Jimmy Rose (Levitt AMP Middlesboro 2015), as well as “American Idol” winner Taylor Hicks (Levitt AMP Midvale 2016) as part of our Spotlight Series on artists playing upcoming Levitt concerts. Today, we look back on a few of the countless televised performances by other artists who have performed on Levitt stages and dared to sing in front of millions of viewers across America. Continue reading

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Last week we turned our clocks forward, giving us an extra hour of late afternoon light to enjoy during this first week of spring!

It’s that time of year when green spaces across the country are in transformation, bringing colorful signs of life along with them. Here at Levitt, we love “springing” into this new season because it means that free outdoor concerts are just around the corner!

This year, the Levitt Foundation is supporting free Levitt concerts in 22 towns and cities (with some beginning as early as May!), so get ready for another season of free, live music in your community!

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With spring just around the corner, an abundance of green has been sprouting and leafing out here in southern California, but we’re especially seeing a lot of green today for St. Patrick’s Day! For centuries, the color green has been associated with Ireland, and thanks to Irish diaspora, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated all around the world with plenty of green attire and décor, public festivities and Irish music. Continue reading


Last week we celebrated International Women’s Day by spotlighting a few of our favorite female artists, including several who’ve performed on Levitt stages. With Women’s History Month still in full swing, today we’re turning our attention to four more talented ladies. Blame Sally—an all-female collaboration of San Francisco-based singer-songwriters—is no stranger to Levitt stages. Since forming in 2000, the group has moved audiences across the globe with their rich harmonies, eclectic folk/pop/Americana instrumentation (from stompboxes to fiddles) and heartfelt performances—including at Levitt pavilions in Arlington, Texas (2011, 2009) and Pasadena Calif. (2014, 2010). Continue reading

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Over the past eight years, Chicano Batman has gained a loyal following of Los Angeles fans through performing across their home region of Southern California—including at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena (2013). With the their latest album Freedom Is Free released just last Friday, however, music critics anticipate that the band and their SoCal-born-and-bred sound are ready to break out on a national scale. Continue reading

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With the onset of spring on the horizon, fresh starts and new beginnings are on the mind. Today we’re turning our attention to abandoned railroad tracks around the globe that have been given new life as the cornerstones of urban parks.

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What better way for a work of art to reach the most people than through being free to view, open to the public and in an open-air setting? Many cities recognize the value of creating murals throughout their neighborhoods, engaging residents in art-making and boosting community pride during the process. It’s also an inexpensive creative placemaking option that works with the landscape already in place—all it needs is some creativity and paint.

With inspiration drawn from their surrounding communities, murals can vividly depict motivations and aspirations of the artists and community members who created them, as well as provide enjoyment for people simply viewing them. Take a look at some of these inspiring murals adorning Levitt cities across the country! Continue reading