Along with July being National Picnic Month, this month is also National Park and Recreation Month, which makes sense considering that picnics and parks go hand in hand! We love this infographic created by National Recreation and Park Association that shares some fun facts about community spaces boosting positive attitudes toward cultural diversity, how playing outside enhances vision and that half of exercise in America takes place at parks.
Happy National Picnic Month!
Temperatures are rising and early summer showers are (hopefully!) on their way out. This time of year, public parks across the country are filled with families and friends enjoying the outdoors, so what better time to pack a picnic? In celebration of National Picnic Month, we’ve created a mouth-watering slideshow of picnicking Levitteers across the nation!
Award-winning 8-piece band, The Suffers, kicked off the 2017 Levitt National Tour at Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles last Saturday with an outstanding turnout coming from all walks of life. The Suffers performed an upbeat, groovy set enabling Levitteers to get on their feet and dance the night away to the sounds of Gulf Coast Soul. The fun continues tomorrow night when the next leg of the tour stops in Memphis at Levitt Shell, followed by Arlington, Texas this Saturday night at Levitt Pavilion Arlington. Here’s 5 fun facts about The Suffers:
Happy #GivingTuesday! We’ve feasted, we’ve shopped, and now…we give!
From organizations that protect our environment and those that fight hunger to organizations that give scholarships and those that provide accessible arts programming (like free Levitt concerts!), there are countless reasons to be thankful for our nation’s extensive network of nonprofits that do incredible work. Continue reading
Singer-songwriter Paul Thorn has a heavy touring schedule of about 150 shows a year, but what keeps the Southern rocker energized through it all is the “collaboration of joy” between artist and audience. “I go out and try to lift people up,” he told us for this latest Meet the Artist video.
The Levitt veteran artist uses his music to spread positivity to the masses, because he knows that for many of his fans, there’s nothing like ending a long day with a night of music, especially at the Levitt Shell Memphis. It’s here where Thorn witnesses the power of music firsthand, with neighbors of all backgrounds coming together for a good time. “Magic,” indeed!
Legendary tenor saxophonist George Coleman returns to his hometown of Memphis this weekend and will grace the Levitt Shell Memphis stage with the Rhodes College Jazz Band. Coleman has toured and collaborated with music’s most celebrated players, including Miles Davis, BB King and Ray Charles. His decades-long career in music started just two years after picking up the alto saxophone at the age of 17, inspired by influential bebop saxophonist Charlie Parker. Continue reading
Pictured from L to R (top row): Levitt Pavilion Arlington; Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles; Levitt Shell Memphis; (bottom row): Levitt Pavilion Pasadena; Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks; Levitt Pavilion Westport.
Across the country, another spectacular season of Levitt concerts has come to a close, and we’re once again celebrating the undeniable power of free, live music to bring people together of all ages and backgrounds, creating stronger communities. Watch your favorite Levitt venue in action!
You may ask, who brings the Levitt program to life, year after year? Your local Friends of Levitt nonprofit, that’s who! Each Friends of Levitt manages, programs and fundraises for the 50 free concerts every year. This is an impressive feat when you consider the sheer number of acclaimed artists presented on a Levitt stage featuring a range of music genres; the first-rate production crews and state-of-the-art sound and lighting; as well as the additional programming and activities realized through local partnerships to create unforgettable evenings of free music under the stars. Rounding out the experience are the passionate volunteers whose friendly smiles and enthusiasm embody that warm sense of community found on Levitt lawns.
And yet the Friends of Levitt nonprofit is only part of the equation. Equally important is the community of supporters—audience members who donate on the lawn, businesses sponsoring shows, grants from foundations, and local family and individual donors—whose generous contributions ensure the free music continues each year at their Levitt venue. Continue reading
You just know that summer’s right around the corner when the free concert season at the Levitt is announced! While some sneak peeks of shows were unveiled this past March, Levitt Shell Memphis and Levitt Arlington just released their full summer concert series, both jam packed with revered, award-winning musicians as well as local favorites. Continue reading
“Memphis is all about music.” Memphian Penny Aviotti couldn’t have said it better. Graceland, Sun Records, the Stax Museum and the Levitt Shell are all part of the city’s rich musical heritage.
The 2014 GRAMMY nominations were announced last Friday, and once again, Levitt artists are tops! Continue reading
