2025 Late Summer Friday Nights In Maki Park

Maki Park Gets Baptized

Thank you Empire Management Company!

We remember fondly the 4-story behemoth (including the basement) that was our neighbor for so long; across the street from the Ale House. We would watch the windows from our function room and swear we saw something, someone, moving about. Several of us even visited the gutted grand dame. We found rolling floors, nasty bathrooms, peeling everything and an air of lives and businesses lived. It had a beautiful central marble staircase. But any dreams we had of revitalizing and repurposing the building were dashed by these visits. The building had to come down and, several parties, thankfully, intervened and brought down our big friend and neighbor. Thank you Gardner Redevelopment Authority and City of Gardner!

In her place the city built what I will call Maki Park. Does it have an official name? Anyway, the Gardner Festival Committee meets at the Ale House bi-weekly to discuss Oktoberfest and other doodahs and we find ourselves staring at the park and eventually wondered if it could be put to some creative use. Several brilliant minds in our group (not me) figured what better way to use that park than to celebrate the second half of summer with live music. Empire Management Company jumped in as our sponsor and we were off and running.

This past Friday (June 15, 2025) Maki Park was baptized with its first summer concert featuring The Rusty Truck Saloon Band. The vibe was mighty and the people were joyful. Music started at 6, but people started moving in closer to 5. We sold beer & wine and had free water for anyone who wanted it. We went through a lot of water! And we had special requests for beverages to which we will respond at the next concert when Point The Finger continues the string of concerts. Thank Jim LeBlanc for the changes. He was earnest and respectful and even tried his luck at Moon Hill Light beer!

We will have beer & wine for sale and free water. Please don’t bring in any outside alcohol; our license doesn’t allow it and it will get us in trouble. You can bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks. And thanks!

We will vary the music start times as weather and sun allow and so keep your eyes peeled for late week info and visit the Gardner Festival Committee Facebook PAGE for late breaking information.

Note that this is all a run up to Gardner’s Oktoberfest & Chair Luge “Party In The Street”, Saturday, September 27. Visit the Gardner Festival Committee’s WEBSITE to see all we’re doing at Oktoberfest. Always the last Saturday in September. Thank you GFA Federal Credit Union for being our premier Oktoberfest sponsor yet again!

Late Summer Friday Nights at Maki Park Schedule
8/15   Rusty Truck Saloon Band 6pm

8/22   Point the Finger 6pm

8/29  Boothill Express

9/5 Briezy Jane and the Hurricane

9/12  Brian Chaffee

9/19   Franco Sound Bites

Thanks for being there,

Rick Walton

Always here or across the street now