BY STEFANIE JACKSON BOWMANN
The free summer concerts in Cape Charles Central Park are drawing large crowds again this year, despite bad weather causing one show to be canceled and others to have some decreases in attendance.
Approximately 3,000 people attended the concert by the Deloreans — a popular 1980s tribute band — on Sunday, Aug. 11, said Hank Mayer, of CapeCharles Citizens for Central Park, the nonprofit that organizes the concerts.
The number in attendance was around the same as the Deloreans drew to Central Park last year, even though weather has deterred some live music fans from coming out this summer.
Roughly 30% of concertgoers are from Northampton County, and the remaining 70% includes residents of Accomack County and visitors from places like Norfolk and Richmond, who are less likely to turn out when the weather forecast is unfavorable, Mayer said.
Despite poor weather conditions nearly every weekend, the Deloreans managed to draw a sizable crowd on Sunday.
“They have a strong following, they play great music, and they’ve got a great light show that they put on … behind them on the gazebo when they’re playing,” Mayer said.
The Deloreans made their Cape Charles debut last year and returned this year by popular demand.
“Normally, with our concerts, everybody sits in the grass, on a chair or on a blanket or something like that, and you have some people up front, to the gazebo, dancing,” Mayer said. But “with the Deloreans, for instance, there was, I’d say, people 10 deep standing in front of the gazebo.
“Everybody has a grand time,” Mayer said. “I would love to have more bands like that.”
Cape Charles Citizens for Central Park invites a mix of old and new bands every year — about two-thirds are returning bands and the rest are first-timers at the venue, Mayer said.
The Deloreans “definitely” will be invited back next summer, but they may return to Cape Charles for another concert as soon as this fall, he said.
Another definite return invite will go to the English Channel, which plays at Cape Charles’ annual Love Fest held every Labor Day weekend.
The Deloreans concert on Sunday was the wrap-up of a special double feature weekend that also included a concert by the Morgan Lynsey Band on Saturday, Aug. 10.
