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'Let the good times roll' at JB MDL summer concerts

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Tara A. Williamson
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Military bases are no strangers to hosting concerts for their service members. This year, the joint base community will see three shows as part of a new summer concert series offered by the 87th Force Support Squadron.

"The whole summer theme is Americana," said Charles Dunn, 87th FSS marketing director. "The Base Backyard Party will kick off our summer shows June 24, then there's the 24th of July Party, and the series will end with the Red, White and Blues Base-Wide Picnic August 5."

Each event features free live music, themed food, and family amusements.

The first event, the Base Backyard Party, begins at 5 p.m. at Doughboy Field on Dix.

The joint base is continuously looking for opportunities to enhance quality of life for its community members and their families; therefore this year the base has incorporated the 4th of July fireworks show into the June 24 event.

"We're having a Food Truck-a-Palooza, the Marshall Tucker Band will be playing from 6-8 p.m., and then at 9 p.m. we'll have the fireworks," Dunn said. "It's the same company as last year, so it's a full show with music."

The second event, that they're calling the 24th of July Party, also begins at 5 p.m. and will feature Philly-style food, like cheesesteaks, hoagies and soft pretzels, with a performance by the Bacon Brothers Band from 6-8 p.m. at the soccer field of the Fitness and Sports Center on McGuire.

"Our first two events came from reinvesting Recycling Center funds," said Willard Little, 87th FSS deputy commander. "We know the base isn't in a thriving area, but we're trying to bring more events to the base populous and make the base an even more motivating place for our service members."

This year's Red, White and Blues Base-Wide Picnic is held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features freshly-made barbecue and the Billy Walton Band performing until 1 p.m., and games and amusements available throughout the entire event at John Mann Park on Dix.

"We're really excited about bringing it out there to them; it should be a good time," Dunn said. "It's also a test market for us to see how it works this summer, logistically. And if it's received by the public well, too, we'll begin to work on next year and see if we can't do it again and push it as a regular summertime program and bring in other famous acts."

Little says 87th FSS is expecting 7,000 Defense Department ID card holders to attend these events.