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DCCF 2025 Mid-Year Grant Catalog |
For over 40 summers, the Lawrence City Band has brought free, family-friendly concerts to South Park on Wednesday evenings — a beloved tradition that draws hundreds of community members each week and spans generations of music lovers.
Currently, the band performs on the grass in front of the historic gazebo, placing our chairs and music stands on uneven ground with limited visibility and numerous equipment hazards. While the music is joyful, the setup is far from ideal — for either the musicians or the audience.
We are launching the planning phase for a permanent raised platform in South Park: a purpose-built stage that will dramatically improve safety, sound, and sightlines for our summer concerts — and create a lasting amenity for the entire community.
We will engage an architect with experience in historic structures and environs to develop a design that complements the character of South Park and its beautiful gazebo. This design work will support the formal review and approval process by the City of Lawrence's Parks, Recreation, and Culture Department as well as the Historic Resources Commission — important steps toward making this vision a reality.
The new structure will be designed in harmony with the historic character of South Park and the existing gazebo. We are engaging an architect experienced in working with historic structures and environs. The project will also go through a thoughtful approval process with the City of Lawrence's Parks, Recreation, and Culture Department and the Historic Resources Commission.
Thanks to a generous lead gift of $50,000 from Shelly Hornbaker, in memory of her late husband Tom Hornbaker — a longtime band member and past treasurer — this project is already off to a strong start. Additional donor-restricted funds are committed, and a broader fundraising effort is underway.
We are now seeking $10,000 to support the critical early-stage work: design, planning, and approvals.
Our goal is to complete the new stage in time for our 2026 summer season.
This stage will serve not only the Lawrence City Band but also future community events, weddings, and performances in South Park for years to come. Your support will:
For more information or to get involved, contact one of the following board members:
John Esau
jesau@kw.com | (785) 979-9832
Martin Bergee
mbergee@ku.edu | (785) 550-7117
Thank you for helping us lay the groundwork — literally and figuratively — for the next 40 years of music in South Park with the Lawrence City Band!