The Pioneer Park Gazebo

2300 Airport Way

Daily I 7-8pm

When the sun comes back to Fairbanks, our community moves as many activities as possible outdoors. With endless hours of daylight and green as far as the eye can see, we feel like we should be outside as much as possible! Fairbanks Arts’ Gazebo Night Summer Performances are a way for local and out-of-town visitors of Pioneer Park to enjoy performing arts while in the outdoors. Performances take place 7-8pm in the white gazebo near Gold Rush Town in Pioneer Park and are FREE to attend for anyone.

With the support of Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation, Gazebo Nights began in 2002 with a free concert every Thursday evening in Pioneer Park. In the summer of 2004, concerts were held every Tuesday and Thursday. In August 2005, Monday nights were added. In 2006 concert were expanded to their current schedule:

Every day of the week there is a different performer who takes the stage to show off their wonderful skills and to entertain the audience. For June, the variety of performers ranges from storytelling on Sundays, to Jazz piano on Tuesdays and Fiddle on Fridays. Curious? Read more about the artists below!

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SUNDAY
Martin Miller – Storytelling

Old Pete came to Alaska in the 1880s to “Teach those folks how to mine gold.”

Along the way he had more than one adventure. Join Martin Miller, Storyteller to hear how Old Pete came to be known as Grizly Pete, and changed the way gold mining was done in Alaska forever. Martin tells traditional and original folk tales, the occasional Robert Service verse, and (once in a while) juggles before and after the show.

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MONDAY
Anja Endestad – Classical Violin

Anja Endestad, 21, began her musical journey at the age of 4, studying with Nancy Morgan and Dr. Gail Johansen in Fairbanks, Alaska. She currently studies with Steven Rose at the Cleveland Institute of Music, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance. She made her orchestral debut at age 10 with the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra after winning the 2008 Concerto Competition. She served as the concertmaster of the Fairbanks Youth Symphony, the West Valley High School Chamber Orchestra, and the Alaska All-State Orchestra. She currently is a member of the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra and has also played with both the Canton Symphony Orchestra and Firelands Symphony Orchestra. She has studied chamber music under the direction of Dr. Eduard Zilberkant, Dr. Bryan Hall, Dr. Kathy Butler-Hopkins, Peter Salaff, and the Cavani Quartet. Ms. Endestad’s summer activities include the Aspen Music Festival and School, Fairbanks Suzuki Institute, Marrowstone Music Festival, Meadowmount School of Music, ENCORE Chamber Music, and Ithaca Institute’s Preludio Program as one of ten young artists. She has participated in masterclasses with Paul Kantor, Robert Chen, Alexander Kerr, Brian Lewis, and Elmar Oliveira. In her downtime, Anja enjoys running, hiking, and taking walks with her lovable dog, Jack.

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TUESDAY
Clarence Pate – Jazz Piano

Clarence Pate is a Jazz musician who takes traditional Jazz Standards and adds a modern and current world musical twist to it. Clarence describes his career as follows:

“I’m from Philadelphia but have been in Alaska for more than 20 years. I originally came to Fairbank as a member in the Army Band and then stayed in Fairbanks once I was discharged from the Military. Today, I’m working with the Special Education Program in the school district. The reason I love playing Jazz piano is because of the range of emotions and feelings one can express through the music. It can reach everyone no matter the listeners ability in life.”

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WEDNESDAY
Kit Carson – Acoustic Music that Rocks

Blues. Oldies. Rock’n Roll. Country. Jazz. Kit Carson is a guitarist and singer with 40 years of performance experience in Alaska, making Fairbanks his home. Enjoy the sounds of summer with Kit Carson during Gazebo Nights at Pioneer Park.

 

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THURSDAY
North Star Dance Collective – Dance

The North Star Dance Collective is a group of classically trained dancers committed to the vitality and accessibility of the arts in interior Alaska.
Blending classical ballet with contemporary vocabulary, NSDC makes classical dance accessible in Fairbanks through venue specific work and community collaboration. The Collective offers an opportunity for adult dance artists (high school graduates 18+) to explore and grow in their craft. NSDC’s repertory consists of classically based, contemporary, and modern works. Choreography by Wendy Walker, Courtland Weaver, and Maureen Whiting will be presented in the 2019 season.

Find out more about the North Star Dance Collective by clicking here or connect with them on social media.

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FRIDAY
Jean Eichstedt McDermott, Ptarmigan – Fiddle

On Fridays, listen to the unique sounds of the fiddle!

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SATURDAY
David Snyderman – Standards & Country Rock

Music Dave is a singer/songwriter and guitarist who has been sharing his music here in Alaska for over a decade! He arrived here with the US Army around the turn-of-the-century and started playing guitar during the long winter nights. His musical sets are full of original songs about laughter love and travel, and they sometimes carry a positive spiritual overtone. He also peppers in a few favorites by inspirations such as John Prine, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny cash!

 

If there is rain, sometimes performances will take place indoors in the Alaska Centennial Center for the Arts. If there is a cancellation, if possible we will post on our Fairbanks Arts Facebook page as soon as we know.

 

For questions, please call (907) 456-6485 x226 or email events@fairbanksarts.org.