La Crescent Goes Live with Summer Music Series

LA CRESCENT—On many Wednesday nights this summer, an easy listening riff or toe-tapping rhythm drifts over downtown La Crescent. The smell of brats sizzling on the grill wafts through the air as people file in and out off Main and First, all framed by a hazy sunset starting to wash over the bluffs. 

This is La Crescent Live, a summer concert series featuring live music, food and drinks, and good times. Heading into 2025 with some momentum, the series is quickly becoming a local favorite. 

The Brianna Rae Band opened the 2025 series on June 11. (Photo by Greg Lovell)

The first notes 🎶

La Crescent Live began as part of the La Crescent Lions Club’s vision for community service and unity. The club recognized the power of music to uplift and bring people together.

Subsequently, in 2022, a group of about a dozen volunteers formed a steering committee under the La Crescent Lions Club 501(c)(3) status to start planning the concert series and set long-term goals.

Currently in its third season, the committee focuses its efforts on preparation, communication and fundraising while keeping an eye on long term facility planning. As the committee organized and evolved, Ron Wilke became its primary director and spokesperson. 

Wilke, a former band teacher and school superintendent, has committed his time and talents, along with the other committee members, to fulfill its mission: creating community connections through enjoyment of the arts.

While there is plenty of day-to-day legwork involved in running the concert series, Wilke says the committee continues to focus on the long-term goal of partnering with the City of La Crescent to build a permanent outdoor performance venue.

Managed by a Steering Committee, La Crescent Live is working with the city toward building a permanent outdoor performing venue. (Photo courtesy of La Crescent Live)

Currently, a tent and small concrete pad make for a nice little stage, but Wilke and company hope the current space for La Crescent Live performances will expand to a larger permanent structure. 

“The steering committee strongly believed that a concert series would provide a substantive experience from which our community would recognize the value a permanent space would offer,” said Wilke.

“Our first summer, we tested a number of sites throughout the community,” Wilke continued. “Last summer, we worked with the city to make modest improvements on a ‘permanent/temporary’ site on South First Street in downtown La Crescent.”

As it stands, the current site is part of a broader downtown La Crescent revitalization and redesign plan that could include a permanent outdoor performance venue, though city officials and stakeholders are still in the planning phase.

Music and more🎵

Wilke says La Crescent Live offers a variety of musical genres in order to appeal to a range of interests and ages. He credits committee members Monica Holman and Patti Martell for their outstanding ability to find and book musical acts. 

“Now that we are into our third season, we’ve reached the point that we actually have more groups interested in performing than we are able to book in one season–a nice problem to have,” said Wilke.

In addition to the music, food and beverage options are available on site from local businesses and service organizations. There are also bag toss games and sidewalk chalk for kids. 

“We also provide area service and non-profit organizations the opportunity to set up information booths promoting their work and mission,” Wilke added. 

This young lad enjoys playing the bag game, just one of many activities for kids to enjoy. (Photo by Greg Lovell)

A community’s song🎶

‘Community’ is a common refrain among La Crescent Live organizers. Wilke says he loves providing the opportunity for people to gather together and connect with each other as they enjoy the arts.

Committee member Teresa O’Donnell Ebner feels inspired by the enthusiastic energy and momentum of the series over time. She notes how many neighboring towns host their own unique live music events and that La Crescent was–and now is–a great place to do the same. 

“It’s been fun watching it grow and seeing people getting excited about it,” O’Donnell Ebner said. 

Wilke would agree.

“I think it’s safe for me to speak for our steering committee in saying that we are all extremely gratified by the support we have received from our community, especially our very generous sponsors,” he said.

In this archived photo, Double Take performs at La Crescent Live. Now that it is an established venue, many musical groups have inquired about performing. (Photo courtesy of La Crescent Live)

Leaning into the Future🎵

Entering the 2025 season, La Crescent Live is primed with a full slate of musical acts and plenty of enjoyment to go around

Despite their success so far, organizers remain committed to the long-term goal of constructing a permanent outdoor performance structure that Wilke thinks would make a lasting impact.

“We believe it will be a year-round facility, supporting a broad range of experiences in the arts and community events, well beyond our summer concert series,” he said. 

That’s a tune everyone can sing.