The Gazebo Nights team is celebrating after yet another successful season of Thursday night concerts held in Normal Park over the summer.
Each week local non-profits attend the event, running the concessions stand or holding bake sales or other mini-fundraisers, to help raise money for their organizations. This year the following nonprofits benefited from the concerts: Cancer Society, Lincoln County Humane Society, Aspirus Merrill Hospital Hospital Auxiliary, Patriot K9’s, Merrill PD/Lincoln SO K9 teams, Merrill Boys Basketball, Luther Memorial Church, Merrill Boy Scouts, Merrill Lions Club, Merrill Masons Virginia Falls Lodge #226, Merrill Dance Team, Merrill Girls Tennis, Ice Reflections and the Pine River Fire Dept.
In total, a record-breaking amount of $19,166 was raised by these non-profits and returned to the community, according to Mike “Gus” Caylor who organizes the concerts.
He estimated more than 6,900 people attended the concerts over the course of the seven-week concert series, with the largest crowd attending the BriTins band. The budget for the concerts also surpassed the $10,000 mark, the first time in the 14-year history of the concerts in the Gazebo at Normal Park.
Caylor credits the branding sponsor Thorogood and the numerous weekly sponsors with making each each week a success. “If it wasn’t for our sponsors, we never would be able to do what we do each week,” he said. “It was always a dream to bring in the BriTins, which we were able to do this year. We are already talking to a large band for 2024, and if we are successful in bringing them to the Gazebo, we feel it will be the biggest concert ever at the park.”
Gazebo Nights at Normal Park traditionally starts after the Fourth of July and runs up until Labor Day weekend. For more information or to become a sponsor, go to their Facebook page: facebook.com/GazeboNightsAtNormalPark.
