Double your pleasure

The city is offering a double whammy of entertainment during its popular Outdoor Cinema Series. Some of the Lacey in Tune concerts – traditionally held at noon on Wednesdays – will be happening just before the films screen.

“That will make it more fun,” said Lori Flemm, the city’s parks and recreation director. “In the past, we’d create our own entertainment before the movies to get people out there earlier and make more of an evening of it,” said Jeannette Sieler, the city’s recreation supervisor. “We did Lacey Idol and Lacey’s Got Talent, and we did game shows.

“But we thought a concert would be more of a draw.”

The midday Wednesday summer concerts work well for those who work nearby, as well as for senior citizens’ groups and child-care centers, but that didn’t serve the many Lacey residents who work elsewhere.

The change was suggested by residents.

“We had citizens call us who wanted to be able to come to our concerts,” Flemm said.

The city will still offer lunchtime concerts: There’ll be four of those and five on Saturday nights in conjunction with the films.

“We want to offer times, days and locations that are convenient for the greatest number of people,” Flemm said.

The city is trying out a film at the Thurston County Regional Athletic Complex, too.

Attendance at the events varies from about 200 people to as many as 1,000, Sieler said.

“We’re very weather dependent,” she said. “We could have the best band in the world, and if it’s raining out, only a few diehards would come. We do have tents, though, and the concerts go rain or shine.”

The Saturday night lineup of bands and films doesn’t necessarily work together, except in a few cases, Sieler said.

“ ‘Star Trek’ has BottleRockIt before it,” she said. “It’s funny that the names tie in.

“And for the ‘Twilight’ movies, I wanted to have a group that would appeal to younger people. Those movies will attract a lot of tween girls.”

Her pick: The Konzelman Brothers.

“They’re a young brothers band,” she said. “They kind of remind me of the Jonas Brothers.”

Summer fun in Lacey

What: The city of Lacey has expanded its summer concerts in the park series and is continuing its popular movie and children’s series, too.

When: Concerts at noon Wednesdays and 7 p.m. Saturdays, films at dusk Saturdays, children’s entertainment at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays

Where: Huntamer Park, corner of Woodland Square Loop and Seventh Avenue, Lacey

Admission: Free

More information: 360-491-0857 or www.ci.lacey.wa.us

Also: Coinciding with the state fast-pitch softball championship, the city will screen a bonus film, “A League of Their Own” (rated PG), at dusk July 2 at the Thurston County Regional Athletic Complex, 8345 Steilacoom Road S.E., Lacey.

Wednesday Concerts