‘Warm Summer Nights’ arrives

Walter Sprague
Art and Culture Reporter
 
On Friday, Aug. 21, the Weston County Arts Council will present the third annual “Warm Summer Nights.” The multi-act celebration will take place from 5:30 to 10:00 p.m. on Main Street. Because the council was unable to do the three concerts that took place last year, due to the COVID-19 uncertainties, the board has decided to do one. According to President Tom Voss and Vice-President Maddi Peterson, this one will be bigger and better than last year’s shows.
Street closures will take place starting at 2 p.m. Those closures will be West Main Street from South Sumner Avenue to South Seneca Avenue. with South Sumner being closed from West Main to Warwick, between First State Bank and the library. Instead of the stage being set up in the bank parking lot, it will be set up at the intersection of West Main and South Sumner. The parking lot is reserved for vendors during the event.
Sponsors of the event are First State Bank of Newcastle, Wyoming Refining Company, and News Letter Journal. This year, Warm Summer Nights also has an exclusive sponsor with Nerds 4Ever hosting a comic/manga/anime art contest. The contest is open to all ages, grouped into three age brackets. The age groups are children up to third grade, grade 4 through middle school and high school/adult. Prizes will be awarded
for first, second and third place. All art must be submitted between 2 and 5 p.m. and should be works depicting comic book character, manga or anime art. The WCAC treasurer, Walter Sprague, will be available at those times to take submissions and provide security for the event. Winners will be announced during a break in the acts. 
The entertainment for the evening will be three different performances. Mark Williams will take the stage at 5:30 with his unique style of country/folk music. Al and Brenda Costello will follow. The main act will be Nate Smith and the Caddywhompus Band, who will play from approximately 7 to 10 p.m. Everyone who wishes is invited to turn the performances into a street dance on Main.
Of particular note, Nate Smith and the Caddywhompus Band have recorded their first CD and are planning to have a limited number of their albums available for purchase during the event.
The vendors that will be set up in the First State Bank parking lot are Hot Diggity Dog, Howdy Bakery, South in the Mouth, Ice Cream by Pam Gualtieri and Isabella’s Pizza by the Slice. The arts council will also have available popcorn, snow cones, cotton candy and drinks. The council is still working on securing other vendors, but at the time of this writing, only these were confirmed.
Games for children and adults include corn hole, a fishing game and a giant tic-tac-toe. Also available will be sidewalk chalk art and face painting.
“This is a great time for Newcastle and Weston County to enjoy good family entertainment,” said Voss. “It is time to showcase some of our great local talents, for families to spend a pleasant evening with each other and with friends.”
Peterson said that it is crucial that we still pull together as a community.
“WCAC exists to promote local talent in music, art, stage and literature,” she said. “To enhance lives through the arts.” 
Board members have worked in special meetings throughout the summer to bring these talents together for the evening, hoping that everyone will come out and have a great time. The board also asks everyone to show responsibility and good common sense so that it will be a safe and fun-filled evening, full of good food, games, dancing and fantastic entertainment.