Point Loma Summer Concerts celebrating silver anniversary with Swift Nation and more

POINT LOMA – Starting on July 11, Point Loma Summer Concerts will celebrate its silver anniversary by bringing together five live, free local musical talents, along with sponsors and a fundraising raffle, to benefit local music education.

The annual Point Loma Summer Concerts event will be held on five consecutive Fridays, kicking off July 11 with By George offering a tribute to the late George Harrison, and ending Aug. 8 with Swift Nation, a Taylor Swift cover band.

Junior bands open at 5:30 p.m., followed by main stage performers at 6:30 p.m. at family-friendly Point Loma Park, 1049 Catalina Boulevard.

The event itself is free, but raffle tickets benefiting local education are sold before and during performances. The concert series offers free parking, with a free shuttle service, 5-9 p.m. on event nights, from the parking lot of All Souls’ Episcopal Church at 1475 Catalina Boulevard.

The concert series was founded by Bridget Cantu Wear, spouse of former San Diego City Council member Byron Wear of Point Loma. In its inaugural season, the Point Loma Summer Concerts series was sponsored by the community’s then-Chamber of Commerce.

The Point Loma Association picked up event sponsorship the following year.

The bar is set high for this year’s summer concert fundraising series, noted volunteer coordinator Mandy Havlik.

“We’re aiming to raise $25,000 to support music programs for kids in our community, and we can’t do it without an amazing team of volunteers,” she said.

“Whether you’re a seasoned organizer or just looking for a fun way to give back, there’s a place for you on our team. We’re looking for volunteers to help in a variety of roles, from one-night-only support to leadership positions.”

Havlik said volunteer roles needing to be filled include safety officer, first-aid, take-down director, grant writer for next season, membership committee, and raffle ticket sales, as well as set-up and clean-up. To volunteer or inquire about it, email havlikmandy@gmail.com.

Point Loma Summer Concerts president Glenn Millar’s business, Call Glenn Again Handyman and Home Services, is the title sponsor of Point Loma Summer Concerts for the second year, he said, “Because we love concerts and owe a debt of gratitude to this community.”

Millar noted that the public’s participation is needed once again to make this year’s concert series a success.

“The five-concert event will cost about $160,000, and 70% of our operating costs come from sponsorship, and about 30% comes from the raffle and other sources like grants from the City,” Millar said. “And everything goes up with inflation, driving up the cost. It’s probably gone up 10% to 12% from last year.”

New this year, noted Millar, will be an 8-foot by 14-foot digital screen behind the concert stage, which he noted will be “really cool” and used to display event sponsors and band videos. Also new this year, added Millar, will be Summer Concerts testing a membership promotion at Rock Star ($1,000), Guitar Hero ($500), and Loyal Fan ($100) levels.

“If you are a member, you can get a certain level of benefits at the summer concerts,” he said, adding that extends from reserved seating and parking and digital billboard shout-outs to chair rentals and limited-edition concert shirts to high-tech water bottles and commemorative decals.

“We do offer free bike parking, and it’s also monitored by Moment Bikes, our bike valet sponsor,” Millar said.

“We’ll also have an area hosted for the kids by San Diego Gymnastics Point Loma. We’ll have our food vendors. Also, with the digital billboard shout-outs, people will be able to say ‘Happy Birthday’ or ‘Happy Anniversary.’ Just shoot us a text, and it will appear on the screen.”