By Addison Gernenz | Intern
The City of Waco will kick off its annual free Brazos Night concert series on April 17, featuring Candlebox and Fastball at Indian Spring Park. The event has been a Waco tradition for over 35 years, having previously hosted other notable acts such as Whiskey Myers, Blake Shelton and The Chicks.
Cameron Wolf, events and promotions coordinator with parks and recreation, said gates open at 6 p.m. for the event. The first band, Fastball, will arrive on stage at 7 p.m., and Candlebox takes the stage at 9 p.m.
According to Wolf, Fastball is a ’90s-to-2000s Austin band while Candlebox is more ’90s Seattle grunge.
“They’re not the biggest mainstream acts,” Wolf said. “But they are these bands that have carved their history in the music scene.”
Brazos Nights will put on four concerts throughout the year. On May 1, Ruben Ramos & The Mexican Revolution and Secretto will be performing. The final two concerts will be on June 19 and July 4, with performers to be announced.
The event will be located at 101 N. University Parks Drive, right next to the Waco Suspension Bridge. There will be plenty of free parking around Waco for concertgoers.
“We block off the roads between Franklin and Washington on University Parks Drive, so there won’t be parking there,” Wolf said. “Heritage Square, which is right across from City Hall, all the public parking in that downtown area is free. You’ll also have parking across the suspension bridge at Bridge Street Plaza and Elm Street has good parking. We recommend using those areas for parking.”
Wolf also said that Brazos Nights and the City of Waco recently received permission to park at the Foster Pavilion.
There will be a variety of food and drink vendors at the event as well, although concert attendees are welcome to bring their own food and drinks, excluding glass bottles.
“We range from about eight to 10 food trucks,” Wolf said. “We’ll have funnel cakes, hamburgers, brisket barbecue and then we also get what we call a sweet treat vendor. So we’ll have snow cones and lemonade. There will be an alcohol vendor.”
Even with the vendors, there is no restriction on bringing in your own food.
The concert is family friendly, and Wolf encouraged Baylor students to attend.
“Maybe you don’t know the artists, but you come to the show, and you still get to experience it,” Wolf said. “The environment is there, you’re in the park, the suspension bridge is right there, ALICO is off to your left. It’s a really nice aesthetic.”
Waterford, Va., freshman Hamann Kohlweiler said he’s excited to go to the concert and try something new.
“It sounds like a fun evening to go hang out down on the river and listen to different artists and enjoy some food and hang out with friends,” Kohlweiler said.
For more info on the upcoming shows, visit the concert series website.
