Clinton County Arts Council & the City of St. Johns proudly announces:

Concerts in the Park Series: Our 23rd Season

Wilson Thicket Brings Their Virtuosic Program to St. Johns on July 29th!

Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at 7:00pm

Wilson Thicket, one of the premier string bands in the Midwest, will be bringing their virtuosic acoustic journey in three-part harmony to St Johns for an exciting performance on Wednesday evening, July 29 at 7:00. This “not to be missed” concert will take place at the William E. Tennant Performance Shell in the beautiful St. Johns City Park.

Wilson Thicket has the soul of an Appalachian string band, but there is more to this Thicket than just a patch of bluegrass. They combine a hand-picked group of top singers, instrumentalists, and songwriters that Michigan has to offer, with decades of performing experience under their collective belts. Old school favorites, creative covers,
and dynamic original songs are all delivered with captivating vocals and creative instrumental mastery. This music has plenty of roots and lots of grass. There may be some thorns, but also some flowers. Welcome to the thicket.

“This is one of our exciting repeat groups this year,” explains Bill Tennant, concert coordinator. “This band does it all – the great harmonies – outstanding instrumentalists – this, along with their great program that includes some bluegrass, but much much more – Wilson Thicket is definitely a group everyone will thoroughly enjoy – they are
the real deal!”

Individually, all four members of Wilson Thicket are excellent award-winning musicians in their own right. But collectively, they feed off of each other rising to new heights. Jason Dennie (Mandolin/Guitar/Vocals) is a three-time Cammy Award Winner for Best Folk/Bluegrass Instrumentalists. Aaron Markovitz (Guitar/Mandolin/Vocals)
won a Detroit music award for outstanding recording with the group Escaping Pavement’s “The Night Owl.” Keith Billik (Banjo/Vocals) is the creator and host of The Picky Fingers Banjo Podcast, a show listened to by banjo enthusiasts worldwide. Scott Kendall (Upright Bass) has been playing in bluegrass bands for most of his adult life plus other groups vested in a wide variety of musical styles.

The Concert in the Park series is co-sponsored by the Clinton County Arts Council and the City of St Johns. We are also acknowledging The Butler Financial Group at this concert. We are grateful for their support as a season sponsor again this year!

Bring a chair or blanket – visit the Lion’s Club Food Trailer – the concert takes place rain or shine. The concert is free, but donations are greatly appreciated and needed to support the series each year. We do pass the buckets at intermission.

So, set your GPS to 801 W Park St, and enjoy an evening of music you won’t soon forget! The CCAC receives funding from the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Quality & Variety Highlight “Concert in the Park” Series

Get those lawn chairs and blankets ready – and ready yourselves to experience an exciting series of 12 concerts on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer. From June 17 – September 2, the William E Tennant Performance Shell in the beautiful St. Johns City Park will be alive with the wonderful sounds of music – quality performances each week presented by incredible musicians.

“Our committee has done a great job of putting this series together again this year,” explains Bill Tennant, Concert in the Park Committee Chairperson. “We have 4 new groups joining us this summer: 2 top Lansing area bands, 1 from Ann Arbor with the fourth group coming in from Toronto, Canada – an ABBA Tribute Band. Also, there will be 5 groups from last year and 3 from previous years – and yes, ending our series with Elvis, a highlight tradition here in St Johns. It all adds up to one truly exciting summer of concerts.”

Set aside Wednesday evenings this summer and join in on the fun with others from throughout mid-Michigan… there’s nothing like live music!

There’s no better way to savor a summer night than spending a warm evening outdoors for a concert in the park. Sponsored jointly by the Clinton County Arts Council and the City of St. Johns, our “Concert in the Park” series begins in mid-June each summer and runs for twelve weeks.

WEDNESDAY EVENINGS AT 7:00

2026 Schedule:

June 17 Jeff Baldori Band – Covers Everything – Rock & Roll, Blues, Country, etc.
June 24 LCB Big Band Jazz – Big Band Jazz with Clique Singers Dan & Kelly
July 1 Meridian Community Band – Concert Band Celebrating Our 250^th Birthday
July 8 Djangophonique – Gypsy “Manouche” Jazz Style with Beautiful Ballads
July 15 Ron St Germain Band – Everything Country
July 22 Toppermost – Beatles Tribute Band
July 29 Wilson Thicket – Outstanding String Band
Aug 5 On The Lash – Incredible Celtic Band
Aug 12 Super Trooper – Canadian ABBA Tribute Band
Aug` 19 Detroit Retro Society – THE Detroit Pops Group
Aug 26 Dave Bennett – Jazz, Rock, Country
Sept 2 Jake Slater – Elvis Tribute Artist with the Josh Ramses Band