HANCOCK — The town of Hancock will be a musical destination this summer, whether one is craving singer-songwriter folk music, a Pete Seeger style commemoration, or the lively rhythms of Vermont’s largest Caribbean-style steel band.
Hancock’s first annual free concert series will begin this Thursday, July 10, at 6:30 p.m. on the town green, sponsored by Hancock Town Pride with a grant from the Rutland Regional Medical Center.
Hancock Town Pride, formed after Tropical Storm Irene struck town in 2012, was created to organize activities and events for Hancock, beautify the town and foster a sense of community spirit. The organization’s president, Jill Jesso-White, said this summer’s three scheduled concerts “will bring people together for a first-ever event in town and help raise spirits … It will give people in the area a reason to come to Hancock.”
Hancock Town Pride has also been actively shaping the town in other ways, said Jesso-White. The group has organized town-wide potlucks and holiday caroling, as well as decorated public spaces with evergreen sprays in the winter months.
The group also helped create the town green, planting maple trees, crab apple trees and lilacs at the site. The foundation for a bandstand was constructed on the green in May, and Jesso-White has applied for a grant to finish the project.
The July 10 concert on the green will feature The Panhandlers Steel Band, a group specializing in Caribbean steel band music. The July 24 concert will be a Pete Seeger commemorative event, featuring musicians from the White River Valley, folk singer-songwriter Rani Arbo, and members of the Seeger family. The final concert, on Aug. 26, will feature The Starline Rhythm Boys, a Vermont country music and rockabilly trio.
Jesso-White said that Hancock community members have expressed excitement about the upcoming concerts.
“The shows should be truly memorable,” she said.
All concerts are free and open to the public, and begin at 6:30 p.m. on the town green, just off Route 100 near the firehouse. There is an indoor rain site available for all shows. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.