Corydon Avenue is keeping busy with the return of its Concert Series this summer.

The event has been going on for around 20 years and people from all around Manitoba have travelled to witness local bands play their music. Before the pandemic put a halt to the event, prizes were handed out to attendees.

The first concert of the year began on June 20, but due to the heavy rainfall, the first two concerts in June were cancelled.

"We have a concert with a band and a dance floor and people sitting around and dancing at different intersections along Corydon. That occurs every Friday and Saturday night and the dancing starts at 7 p.m., and it shuts down at 10 p.m.," says the Executive Director of Corydon Avenue Biz, Katia von Stackelberg. "The reason for that is to, of course, give some consideration to the residents in the area."

Stackelberg noted that there are usually crowds between 200-500 people. She also says that people go for dinner at a restaurant and then enjoy the concert afterwards. 

Locations of the bands vary, but they can all be found on Corydon Avenue.

"It occupies the street up to the first back alley so we don't disrupt any traffic. They are either held at Corydon and Cockburn Street, Corydon and Lilac Street, Corydon and Arbuthnot Street, or Corydon and Hugo Street. We alternate because we spread this around the whole area."

Stackelberg recalls people as far as Brandon, Manitoba coming to Corydon Avenue's Concert Series.

"It brings back some vibrancy, especially after what we've gone through. It brings us some fun and some music and it's a 'let's get together' type of event for everybody to enjoy. You come down to Corydon about an hour before the concert starts and you see people walking together with their lawn chairs because they think that maybe we don't have enough chairs because it's well attended all the way from blocks away. It is a community builder and, you know, it's a fresh start all over again for Winnipeggers in general."

She also notes that the Concert Series is a great opportunity for local bands and businesses to become more visible to the public eye. 

"We have many wonderful bands, and wonderful performers in Winnipeg and we are not the only ones that benefit from these performances. There are businesses that hire these bands to play on their patio or inside their restaurants, or for special community events. We have many great bands here that we can hire."

Bands have already contacted Stackelberg to perform in next year's Concert Series, and she says that by the end of tomorrow she anticipates that she'll already have four bands booked for the next year.

The last performance will take place on September 3 by a Johnny Cash tribute band.

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