By Jake Luplow
Huntamer Park, located in Lacey, is the home of many summer events aimed for family fun. Everything from concerts to children’s entertainment to family movies is all part of Lacey’s In Tune Summer Entertainment Series.
According to Jeannette Sieler, Supervisor 2 at Lacey Parks and Recreation, in 1995 Lacey Parks and Recreation Supervisor Brit Kramer decided to make family entertainment available to the folks of Lacey. She began by coordinating concerts on Wednesday afternoons at the park.
For the first two months, Brit brought her family’s flatbed truck to provide a stage for the performers. Once the concerts proved a success, the Olympia Master Builders stepped in and built a stage for the entertainment season of 1997.
In 1997 Lacey Parks got together with Lacey Timberline Library and started the Children’s Entertainment Series on Tuesday evenings, featuring jugglers, puppets, and a reptile man. They also added the Saturday night Cinema Series for families to get together and watch movies.
And in 2010, concerts were added to Saturday nights, before the cinema series, so that people who were unable to attend the Wednesday concerts would have a chance to enjoy live music on the weekends.
Brit explained that she was in her young 20s when they introduced the event series to Huntamer Park—they’re Director, Jim Sheler, provided oversight of the programming and vision. She says, “Planning outdoor summer events was just fun, and our goal was to provide free events for the community…Families that play together, stay together.”
Lacey in Tune is supported by the City of Lacey and by the generous donations of many sponsors. As for the scheduling of these events, Jeannette organizes all of the concerts and picks the movies to ensure that the events are appropriate for all ages.
On Wednesday, July 25th, The Diamond Experience (a Neal Diamond Tribute Band) played during the noon concert series. There were over 500 people who showed up for this event to enjoy the music and relax in the sun.
That afternoon, I spoke with a woman named Carol who has been enjoying these events for years. She explained, “I usually attend the Tuesday night kids programs. They’re a good way for families to get together and be a part of each other’s lives. My grandchildren and my daughter come down, and we all go to the park to have a picnic and listen to the music. We have been doing this as a family for four years.”
Another local park fan, Kelly, said, “We’re CNAs at RooLan Health Care Center and also work in the activities department. We bring a busload of people here to get out and enjoy the environment. These activities are very impactful for the lives of our residents.”
So why is family and community interaction so valuable? Psychotherapist Valerie Hammett says, “Time with others and family, especially with close, supportive, connections, will most usually synergize positive energy and constructive relationships—stuff the world needs.”
The City of Lacey is providing a venue for the same constructive relationships Valerie speaks of. Huntamer Park is a place where people can enjoy family entertainment, unadulterated by steep prices. It’s a place where virtue forms the silver lining of group interaction. And it’s a place you must see the next time you want a fun, social outing.
Upcoming Events
Lacey In Tune Concert Series:
Wednesdays, August 1st (Terry Holder, Folk Singer) & 8th (Tuff Box, Army Band), at 12 noon.
Saturdays, August 4th (Freckles Brown Band)& 11th (Dan in Black, Johnny Cash Tribute), at 7 p.m.
Lacey In Tune Children’s Entertainment:
Tuesday, August 7th (Eric Herman, Cool Tunes for kids), at 6:30 p.m.
Lacey In Tune Outdoor Cinema Series
Saturday, August 4th (Soul Surfer) & 11th (Double Feature Night: Hairspray & Mamma Mia), at dusk
Huntamer Park is located at: 618 Woodland Square Loop SE (Corner of Woodland Square Loop and 7th Avenue SE)
