Elkins – Excitement is building for the 2016 summer sessions of the Augusta Heritage Center of Davis & Elkins College as staff members make final preparations. The 2016 summer program, featuring a full slate of concerts and dances open to the public, kicks off on Sunday, July 10 and runs through August 14.
“The coordinators for each week have gathered outstanding musicians to be a part of Augusta this summer – and this means two amazing concerts each week,” says Augusta Heritage Center Director Beth King. “From Cajun, Blues and Swing, Bluegrass, Old-Time and more – each concert gives a rare opportunity to see world-renowned musicians together on one stage, right here in our own community.”
Mountain Stage with Larry Groce returns for the Festival Concert for the third consecutive year at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 13 in Myles Center for the Arts Harper-McNeeley Auditorium. Among performers is Dori Freeman, a 24-year-old singer-songwriter from the southwestern hills of Virginia, and others to be announced. Tickets are $20 general admission and $10 for Davis & Elkins College students. Heard weekly on NPR stations across the country, Mountain Stage with Larry Groce is produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting and is celebrating its 33rd year on the air.
During the summer sessions, concerts will take place at 7:30 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday, July 12 through August 11, in Myles Center for the Arts Harper-McNeeley Auditorium. Music will be performed by master artists from each theme week: Cajun and Creole Week and Classic Country Music Week, July 12 and 14; Blues and Swing Week, July 19 and 21; Irish Week and Appalachian Folklife Week, July 26 and 28; Bluegrass Week, August 2 and 4; and Old-Time Week and Vocal Week, August 9 and 11. Dances in the open-air pavilion are scheduled after each concert and are included with concert admission. Tickets to individual concerts are $12 for general admission. Student tickets are available for $6 on the night of the show with student ID.
Tickets to the individual concerts and Augusta Summer Season Passes are currently on sale. The Season Pass, which includes 10 concerts, post-concert dances and the Festival Concert with Mountain Stage, is available for $86. All tickets may be purchased online at www.augustaheritagecenter.org or by calling the Davis & Elkins College Box Office at 304-637-1255.
