Spring heats up with music each week at Piedmont Natural Gas Block Party in Anderson

In the past two decades of Block Party music in downtown Anderson, late afternoon rain has led to some cancellations.

In recent years, organizers from both the Main Street Program and The Market Theatre Company kept the show going by utilizing the sheltered but open bay window breeze inside the Wren Pavilion, next to Carolina Wren Park, with packed crowds watching the Mac Arnold and Plate Full 'O Blues in 2018, and Shakespeare In the Park's "The Tempest" in 2023.

Organizer Carey Jones said he looked at the weather forecast and moved to the Pavilion, whose open-air bay windows overlook the open sky park.

While welcoming the crowd, Jones mentioned the nice acoustics in the pavilion.

Rain was not expected until 9 p.m., but regardless, the Nathan Angelo band and music lovers of rock and soul classics could enjoy an evening of classics shaded from the sweltering 85-degree heat. The rain eventually came after the show around 10 p.m.

The Main Street Program's Piedmont Natural Gas Block Party 2024 season is one-fourth done with Nathan Angelo. In summer activity planning, residents can feel good about free concerts in the park, rain or shine.

Next Thursday, May 30, Thunder Gypsy takes the stage. The Market Theatre Company's next free musical in Carolina Wren Park is Aug. 22-26 with "James and the Giant Peach."

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Spring heats up with music each week at Piedmont Natural Gas Block Party in Anderson