Steele Memorial Bandstand Highlights

Legacy is everywhere in Lakeside. The fellowship we share, the paths we walk and the traditions we enjoy were shaped by the hearts and hands that came before us. Fred (Fritz) Steele III and his wife, Karlyn Marie Thygesen Steele, were two people that enjoyed the legacy of Lakeside, and who would go on to leave a legacy of their own, despite their years being cut tragically short by a car accident on Aug. 20, 1978.

Fritz had spent nearly every summer of his life in Lakeside, and Karlyn found it easy to adopt her husband's love for the community. Fritz enjoyed playing electric guitar, and Karlyn exercised her vocal talents by singing in a choir. When it came time to honor the couple with a memorial, special care was taken to ensure that their legacy, the Steele Memorial Bandstand, would honor their love for music.

The Steele Memorial Bandstand has been a community gathering place for decades and continues to be a special space for open-air concerts, author visits, vespers, planned marriage proposals and a variety of family celebrations.

Enhancements Taking Shape

Spring is upon us, and enhancements to the Steele Memorial Bandstand are taking shape.

 

In 2017, many Lakesiders gave gifts on #GivingTuesday to help us refresh this beloved gathering space. Because of you, Lakesiders will gather this summer to take in all the improvements and beauty of the surrounding area.

 

Through the winter, we've been hard at work installing additional electrical outlets to the structure so that more power can be provided for larger musical groups and support the controls for a new irrigation system. 

New landscaping plans are in process and the design of the irrigation system is almost complete. New water lines were laid to support the system, and larger lines were installed so we can support additional irrigation in the future for other areas of the park. 

 

An exciting enhancement, sure to protect the high heels of wedding guests, will be the addition of permeable pavers, replacing the loose rock surface of years past. As a sustainability practice, these pavers will provide a safer surface for walking to your seat while allowing rainwater to soak into the ground and not create runoff. Engineers have staked out the layout of the new paver area. Grading and excavation is in progress, and the paver system is targeted to be installed on April 15.

As weather breaks, the new roof will be installed and painting of the structure will be finished before Memorial Day weekend. New LED lighting inside the bandstand will be installed in April, completing the electrical upgrades. Finishing touches include fixing the existing columns that have wood rot, adding new wooden handrails, planting grass and installing a beautiful new copper finial, like the image to the right, to the refreshed bandstand. 

This summer we will celebrate the generosity of Lakesiders who made these improvements possible and the 40th anniversary of this treasured spot along Ohio’s Most Beautiful Mile.

Smiles, Laughter & Memories are just around the Corner

With only 65 days until Memorial Day weekend, you'll soon be enjoying the newly refreshed bandstand for concerts in the park, educational lectures, author visits and wedding ceremonies. This summer, four couples will be getting married and several youth groups will be gathering for bible studies.

Mark your calendar for these summer highlights at the Steele Memorial Bandstand:

Sunday, June 30:  The Tubs will put a smile on your face and rhythm in your shoes with their signature pop sound. This party band plays everything from Stevie Wonder to The Weeknd. Made up of graduates from Capital University’s Conservatory of Music, the band has played behind notable pop artists such as Chris Jamison, Spencer Sutherland and Billboard’s Top 40 artist Daya.

Sunday, July 14: Sanyuka Children's Choir brings authentic African sounds of praise and worship. Sanyuka Children’s Ministries, which means “be joyful” in the Luganda language, is an organization that started when Executive Director Allan Kizito noticed two orphaned children lingering near his home church in Kampala, Uganda in 2008. 

Sunday, Aug. 11: Moment’s Notice will perform two concerts in the park at 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. as a special tribute to active duty military and veterans for Lakeside’s Military Appreciation Day. Members of the band met while serving in the U.S. Air Force as Bandsmen at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton. Together, they have a combined 100 years of service in the Air Force. The band performs oldies, Motown music and songs of today.

Sunday, Aug. 18: Cat’s on Holiday, a ‘swamp pop’ band, has been entertaining audiences with their blend of Louisiana inspired rock, roots and Zydeco music for 20 years. The group is led by founding member, songwriter, lead vocalist, guitarist and button-box player, Denis DeVito. Performing more than 100 shows each year, they have played some of the best venues from the Lake Erie Islands to Cape Cod.

Sunday, Aug. 26: Zac Hicks, will lead a community worship service at the Steele Memorial Bandstand. Lakeside Chautauqua will host a Christian Music Retreat from August 25-27. We’re excited to welcome Zac Hicks as our keynote speaker. Hicks is Canon for Worship & Liturgy at Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Ala., a blogger and author. His book, The Worship Pastor: A Call to Ministry for Worship Leaders and Teams, has quickly become the go-to guide for active worship leaders.