BonnerSprings.com

Despite heavy rain and a tornado touchdown in a nearby town, the first concert of the season for the Bonner Springs City Band wasn't a total washout.

"It was a concert we'll never forget," said Larry Berg, director of the band.

Berg said his daughter-in-law, Laura Berg, had come to the band room at Bonner Springs High School during a rehearsal before the concert with the news that a tornado had just hit Linwood. The band then went to the school's basement and awaited further news through cell phones and a weather radio.

After 20 minutes, the band came up and performed the concert in the school cafeteria instead of the usual, fair-weather location of Kelly Murphy Park.

"We had a great concert," Berg said, adding that attendance was good. Just two band members had to leave, including one with a newborn child, he said.

The cafeteria actually provides better acoustics than the park, Berg said, and it's also good for whichever organization serves the ice cream social before the show.

Last week's ice cream was provided by the Edwardsville United Methodist Church. Shirley Hahn and Meghan Jones won the prizes given in a drawing and donated by Miller Pharmacy and Miller's Two.

The next City Band Concert will be at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 19, at Kelly Murphy Park. Bonner Springs BPW will provide the ice cream social during the event. Larry Berg and Aaron Hall direct the band. Information is available by calling Berg at 422-7996.

Also this year, concertgoers can do some shopping before things get under way at the park. The Bonner Springs Tourism and Convention Bureau in conjunction with local merchants, is promoting Third Thursdays, in which Bonner specialty retailers including Pink Zebra, 221 Oak St., Magnum Opus, 129 N. Nettleton Ave., Provence on the Prairie, 141 N. Nettleton, and Miller Too, 201 Oak St., are open until 8 p.m. with special sale prices.

Tonight, June 19, there will be a sidewalk sale in front of each participating store.