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Bands play on: Dunkirk lists Music on Pier, other summer events

Dunkirk’s music events begin June 6.

The city of Dunkirk has released its 2024 summer events schedule, including the popular Music on the Pier series.

The series will be on the pier Thursdays from June 6 to Aug. 22 for most events.There will be five events at Memorial Park, and a Friday, July 5 event held so it won’t conflict with Independence Day celebrations. When the shows are on the pier, it will be closed to traffic at 2 p.m. to allow setup.

Here’s a list of the concerts:

— June 6: Grungebox and Walk of Shame (’90s Night)

— June 13 (Memorial Park): Midnight Recovery and Gypsy Queen (Women Who Rock Night)

— June 20: Sequins and Tequilla Sunrise Eagles Tribute Band (’70s Night)

— June 27: Ion Sky and XOXO Pop Band (Pop Night)

— Friday, July 5 (Memorial Park): The Freeze and Sean Patrick McGraw (Hometown Night)

— July 11: Two Towns and E5C4P3 — The Journey Tribute (Classic Rock Night)

— July 18 (Memorial Park): Midlife Crisis and Appetite for Voltage — Guns ‘n’ Roses and AC/DC Tribute (Hard Rock Night)

— July 25: Hintz of Thunder and Uncle Ben’s Remedy (Country Rock Night)

— Aug. 1: Porcelain Busdrivers and Black Widow (Party Music Night)

— Aug. 8: Mayflower Hill and Hello City — Barenaked Ladies Tribute (Alternative Pop Rock Night)

— Aug. 15 (Memorial Park): Osborn/Nash and Tim Britt Band (Country Night)

— Aug. 22 (Memorial Park): Reset to Vinyl and Midnight Blue — Foreigner/Lou Gramm Tribute (Arena Rock Night)

— Aug. 29 and Sept. 5 are rain dates.

Music on the Pier is not the only city-sponsored musical series. The Music At The Point Sunset Series is also returning this year. It will be from 6-8 p.m. every Wednesday, from July 10 to Aug. 28, in Point Gratiot Park. Performers are: July 10 — Bill Ward; July 17 — Cosmic Cowboys; July 24 — The Trend; July 31 — Classic Rock Allstars; Aug. 7 — Ion Sky; Aug. 14 — Living Room Jam Band: Aug. 21 — DTO; and Aug. 28 — Furious George.

There are also three Wright Park Beach DJ Days set up on Saturdays this year. Joe Gould will DJ the July 6 event, Giulia Giuffre will handle the July 20 show and KT Styles will step up on Aug. 17. The three DJ Days will run from noon until 2 p.m.

OTHER EVENTS

The addition of a Walleye Festival highlights the summer slate of city of Dunkirk events not based around music.

The list kicks off, as usual, with the annual Memorial Day Parade. That will be Monday, May 27 at 11 a.m. on Central Avenue after a 10 a.m. memorial service held by Dunkirk Joint Veterans Council at Memorial Park.

The Dunkirk Flea Market, organized by Brian Meyer, will be held Saturdays, May 4 through Aug. 31 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Route 5 and Washington Avenue parking lot. To become a vendor, please call Meyer at 716-680-0958.

The inaugural Dunkirk Walleye Festival will take place on May 31 through June 2 on the city pier.

Professional walleye anglers will compete in the 4th Annual WNY Walleye Classic directed by Josh Larsen, tournament director, while the festival portion with food, craft and fishing gear vendors will be directed by Ryan Hall, Dunkirk’s festivals coordinator.

The Primitive Patriot Outdoors WNY Walleye Classic will be the highlight of the festival consisting of 2 to 5 anglers weighing in their biggest six fish caught, with top ten payouts and top three biggest fish prizes on Friday and Saturday.

The tournament consists of a Big Fish Friday event (May 31) with 1980 Something (7 p.m. – 10 p.m.) and the main event (June 1) with The West of the Mark – The Prime Project (7 p.m. – 10 p.m.) and a kids’ day (June 2).

A kids’ fishing clinic and tournament will take place Sunday, June 2 starting at 10 a.m. Pro angler and National Walleye Tour Championship finalist Craig Sleeman will conduct the event. The winner of the tournament will win a guided fishing trip with Sleeman.

The Fired Up For Summer Kickoff event (June 6-8) starts with that Thursday’s Music on the Pier. The no-cost block party event will also feature the Dunkirk Firefighter Hose Races Friday night, June 7, at 6 p.m. by the Dunkirk Boardwalk presented by the Dunkirk Professional Firefighters Local 616. DJ Giulia Giuffre will provide the tunes. The awards ceremony will follow with Flipside taking the stage at 7:30 p.m. All the boardwalk shops will be open for business with specials that evening.

The SummerJam on the Ave Youth 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament will also take place Saturday, June 8, starting at 9 a.m. on Central Avenue in front of City Hall for 2nd through 8th graders. For more information, contact Hall or Evon Hernandez at 716-366-9886.

The Dunkirk Farmer’s Market starts June 12 and will continue every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Oct. 9 at the Dunkirk Senior Center. For more information, contact E.J. Hayes at 716-366-9876.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Chautauqua County Great Strides will host a community walk on Saturday, June 15, at Point Gratiot Park with a 10 a.m. check-in and 11 a.m. walk start.

The 28th Annual Juneteenth Celebration is scheduled for June 15 (noon – 8 p.m.) and June 16 (noon – 6 p.m.) at Memorial Park featuring music, food, African dancing, poetry slam, cornhole tournament, kid’s tent and gospel.

Movies in the Park presented by El Rigby Theater will be shown Saturdays at dusk on June 8 at the Central Avenue lot across from City Hall and Aug. 17 at Wright Park Stadium.

The four-day Fourth of July Celebration (July 3-6) with food/refreshment vendors kicks off Wednesday, July 3 at 5 p.m. with music provided by Ten Cent Howl followed by Two For Flinching at 7:15 p.m. in Memorial Park. The Fourth of July “Back to the Eighties” day starts at 11 a.m. with music by Party McFly (2 p.m.), Furious George (4:30 p.m.) and headliner Nerds Gone Wild (7 p.m.) concluding with Starfire Corporations fireworks – the largest fireworks display in Chautauqua County. A special thanks to the community and business donors who helped defray the cost of the annual fireworks show.

The 10th Annual Marauder Trotter 5k Run/Walk is set for Saturday, July 6 at 9 a.m. at Wright Park with a birthday party theme with DJ Joe Gould. A family carnival will be presented in the grassy lawn across from Wright Park Beach from 9 a.m. to noon. Race registration is now available at www.runsignup.com.

Washington Park will be the venue for the 2nd Annual Fair in the Square Vendor Market taking place on Saturday, July 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Craft and gift vendors, food trucks, inflatables and kids’ activities will be offered. Footsteps (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.) and Screaming East (1:15 – 4 p.m.) will provide tunes for the day.

On August 3 from 12 noon to 4 p.m. in Washington Park, Highmark BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York Governments Program will host the Community Day in Dunkirk for all community members.

The 31st Annual National Night Out free community event hosted by the Dunkirk Police Department is slated for Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Washington Park. Bounce houses, Dunkirk Police and Fire Departments, music, food, refreshments, giveaways and an outdoor movie will be available.

The Beach Bash, on Aug. 17 (9 a.m. – 9 p.m.) at Wright Park, will feature kickball, volleyball and pickleball tournaments, food vendors, a dunk tank provided by Awesome Bouncers, inflatables provided by Party With Us and other family activities. Band/DJ performances will be on Wright Park Beach by DJ KT Stylez (12 – 2 p.m.) and on the main stage with Party McFly (2 p.m.), The Untouchables (4 p.m.) and headliner Grand Illusion – The Music of Styx (6:30 p.m.). An outdoor movie will be shown at dusk at the Wright Park Stadium.

On Aug. 26 (with an Aug. 27 rain date), the Back to School Bash is set at Point Gratiot Park from 4 to 7 p.m. for Dunkirk City School students and their families. DJ Giulia Giuffre will provide children’s entertainment while a bounce house provided by Party With Us, school supplies, giveaways, food and refreshments will be available at no cost.

The Dunkirk Heritage Festival, sponsored by Special Metals, LLC and DFT Communications, is scheduled for Aug. 31 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the 64 Lake Shore Drive East lot. The diverse event will feature all types of music, ethnic food, vendors, culture and more.

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