Hoozier Daddy launches Raceway concert series
Written by Jason Mack | | jmack@toledofreepress.comHoozier Daddy starts the fifth annual Party at the Park on May 28 with a live trackside performance at Raceway Park.
“We get excited about the Party at the Park because it is more of a family event, and we are truly an entertainment facility,” said Andrea Ritter, marketing coordinator at Raceway Park. “We don’t just think of ourselves as horse racing. We have a great facility. We get excited about horse racing, but we know we’re an entertainment destination, so we try to appeal to everyone.”
Party at the Park is a summer concert series held every Saturday with live music beginning at 5 p.m. and continuing throughout the night between live races, which begin at 7 p.m.
“You get crowds watching the races and enjoying the music at the same time,” Ritter said. “It’s really interesting to see how the songs correlate with the races. The horses love the music. It’s a fun atmosphere.”
Hoozier Daddy is a veteran of Party at the Park. The five-member band from Monroe, Mich. blends country, classic rock and dance music with three-part harmonies.
It will perform six times at Raceway Park from opening night to the final Party at the Park on Sept. 17.
“We like bringing them back,” Ritter said. “We try to bring back fan favorites. They are popular in Toledo. They have followings in Toledo, and they help by bringing their regulars out here.”
Raceway Park is filling the remaining slots with two other fan favorites, past performers Mas Fina and Nine Lives. Mas Fina is a three-member band from Toledo with guitar, bass, keyboards and percussion. It performs covers of rock, dance, pop, country and rap music. Nine Lives combines members of several Toledo bands to perform covers of music from nearly every decade and genre.
“We love having the music out here,” Ritter said. “It’s an all-around summer experience. You have horses and the outdoors, and nothing is better than outdoor music. They just go together really well. We love providing an all-around entertainment product.”
There is one open date for Party at the Park on Sept. 3 when none of the other bands are available. Raceway Park is looking for any bands interested in filling the slot.
While the concerts are outdoors, Ritter said adverse weather should not affect any of the scheduled performances.
“We’re just hoping for the weather,” Ritter said. “We’ve only had one day where we’ve been rained out for the live music. We’re hoping the weather is good. We’ve been really lucky with the good weather. Even on days where it’s a little rainy, it’s fun to come out here and watch the horses because you are so close.”
Admission to Raceway Park is $2 on Saturdays. For more information, visit the website RacewayParkToledo.com.
Tags: Hoozier Daddy, Mas Fina, Raceway Park
