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Symphony performs at Ritter Park
The Huntington Symphony Orchestra performs "Pops in the Park" on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, at Ritter Park.
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HUNTINGTON -- Music emanated from Ritter Park on Sunday afternoon as the Huntington Symphony Orchestra paid tribute to the gem of Huntington's recreational facilities.
The free show, dubbed Pops in the Park, was a change of scenery for the nearly 50-member orchestra. Its Pops shows take place at Harris Riverfront Park, while the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center serves as the home of its regular season.
Sunday, however, was all about Ritter Park. The symphony trucked a 40-by-50-foot stage into the park near 8th Street, making it difficult for passersby to not stop and enjoy the performance. That's exactly what the Symphony was hoping for, CEO and Executive Director Hogan Haas said.
"We wanted to be more visible this time, like we are an extension of the park," Haas said before Sunday's performance. "It's a central part of the infrastructure of this city, so it should be celebrated."
The symphony could have played at the Ritter Park Amphitheater, but there were worries of overcrowding, as the last Pops concert at Harris Riverfront Park drew a record crowd of about 3,500, Haas said. Sunday's performance didn't match that turnout, but Haas was happy with the crowd given the soggy weather conditions earlier in the day.
The show featured music such as "The Great Gates of Kiev" from "Pictures at an Exhibition," the theme from the Warner Brothers' movie "We Are Marshall," "America the Beautiful" and the theme from "Mary Poppins." The song "We are the World" also was featured with accompaniment by the Ironton High School Varsity Singers.
Food vendors and wineries from West Virginia also were on hand to give the event more of a picnic feel.
The concert brought back fond memories for Frank and Joyce Binder of Huntington. The couple talked about how much they enjoyed bringing their three children to large Fourth of July celebrations at the park 30 years ago. They said they were glad to see more cultural programming offered in a visible setting.
"The park is such a nice place to have this, because it's in the heart of our community," Joyce Binder said. "It may have drawn people who have never seen the symphony because they don't go to the riverfront."
If the symphony can get community support, Haas said he hopes the concert can become an annual event and possibly make it part of a three-day festival.
