SFOTB: What drew you in?
KAP: Well, initially it was because I lived in Point Richmond and my best friend, Pam Dewitt, and her husband were on the board. One of the fun things about living here is this concert series in the summer. So, I started going to the concerts to hang out with friends, hang out downtown, and listen to the cool music. I wanted to help out though, because I’m a resident here and I loved what they were doing. I also have a background in music (degree in classical performance), and I pretty much love music in general. I started going to the listening meetings, and saw that they needed to be more efficient. So, I initially took over the role of managing the listening meetings to make them more efficient and get through listening to 100+ bands so we could select our season.
SFOTB: What is your role now?
KAP: I finally was asked to be on the board two years ago. I manage the listening meetings (now we have over 180+ submissions). I also work directly with the bands, making sure they get paid, we get all the contracts signed and greeting them before the concerts and making sure they have drinks and snacks. I’m basically the band point person. I also built the current website, and I manage and host that.
SFOTB: What do you like most about the Outdoor Festivals?
KAP: It’s a great way during the summer to get together with the rest of the community. We have a huge turnout of people, and the bands are all really great. Friends see friends they haven’t seen in a year (or since yesterday). There’s a beer and margarita tent, and food trucks. Downtown Point Richmond on a summer night is beautiful!
SFOTB: What does it do for Pt. Richmond?
KAP: I think the concerts help make the community a little more solid. We have a wide diversity of bands too, because Richmond is such a diverse city. Last year, we had a gospel group from Richmond followed up by a Bollywood/Blues band, and we always have at least one Latin band. Our audiences love our concerts, and we’ve had such amazing submissions that it’s been hard to select just 8 bands. This year, we easily could have had 30 bands performing.
Don’t miss out! Join the Pt. Richmond community and have some fun in this historic town. Local restaurants are open on concert nights, offering a wide array of cuisine. The event features art by The Arts of Point Richmond, face painting for children,and dancing in the street.
Shops and restaurants are waiting for your visit! Voted Best Outdoor Festival by East Bay Express’ Best of the East Bay. As they say in Pt. Richmond: The Point is Music!
