By: Maria Allard | Roseville-Eastpointe Eastsider | Published August 9, 2024
EASTPOINTE — Members of the Recreation Authority of Roseville and Eastpointe want to express their gratitude to community members for all their support this past year.
So, everyone is invited to RARE’s annual summer party, Rockin’ Summer Night, from 5 to 9 p.m. Aug. 14 at Kennedy Park, 24517 Schroeder Ave. The event will be held rain or shine.
“We believe it is important to hold this event to wrap up the summer and bring everyone together for an enjoyable evening filled with various activities for all to enjoy,” RARE Assistant Director Sara Frederick said via email. “We welcome all to join.”
The evening will include a video game truck, balloon art, face painting, caricature drawings by Andrew Sigman, and a craft station from the Anton Art Center. Entertainment from Mr. Wilde’s Magic Show will begin at 5:45 p.m., and the Eastpointe Lions Club will again have its beer/wine pavilion for those 21 and older.
Attendees can visit with more than 25 local craft and business vendors, and food trucks will be on-site. Kids can have fun in a foam pit, Spider-Man will make an appearance, and families can take each other on in “Nerf Wars.” The event is free to attend, but there are costs associated with the food vendors, the beer/wine tent, and purchases made with local craft vendors.
For a fee, residents will have the opportunity to leave Eastpointe Mayor Michael Klinefelt and Mayor Pro Tem Cardi DeMonaco Jr. all wet in a dunk tank, hosted by the Eastpointe Memorial Day Parade Committee. Frederick described the atmosphere at Rockin’ Summer Night as “lively and festive.”
“Families and friends gather at the park, enjoying the music and the warm summer evening,” she said. “Laughter and excited chatter fill the air as children play, while the scent of delicious food from local vendors wafts through the crowd. The overall vibe is one of joy and togetherness, creating a memorable experience for all ages.”
At 7 p.m. it will be time to get on your dancing shoes with the Jerry Ross Band. With its high energy show, the 12-piece band of professional musicians promises to entertain. The band primarily performs at weddings, corporate events and private parties, so the public show Aug. 14 is a bit of a change.
“We’re looking forward to a great show,” said vocalist and violinist Stacey Mason, who co-leads the band with Levi Jensen. “This is a wonderful opportunity to perform for the public.”
The band members — many of them with music degrees from different universities — include five vocalists, a three-piece horn section, drums, guitar, bass and keyboards. All stand out through their musicianship and talent. Last year, for instance, vocalist Gwen Foxx was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.
During Rockin’ Summer Night, the band will treat the audience to a selection of Motown hits, a Michael Jackson medley and a number of crowd pleasers, including the popular Bruno Mars song “Uptown Funk.” There’s also a good chance Mason will pull out her violin for the band’s rendition of Charlie Daniels’ “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.”
The Jerry Ross Band has been together since 1966. That’s when Ross — who from 1950 to 1966 played clarinet in the Blue Notes — formed the Jerry Ross Band. His talent as an instructor for the Arthur Murray Dance School had led the Cass Technical High School graduate on a path to pursue music, eventually becoming a bandleader.
“An acquaintance of mine said, ‘Let’s start a band,’” Ross said.
Over the years, many of the musicians have come and gone, but the group has always remained a tight unit. At age 90, Ross no longer performs on stage, but he stays busy managing the group and working behind the scenes.
“Jerry still has advice for us every week. We are so grateful and so blessed he still guides us,” Mason said. “After every job I call him and tell him how things went so we can continue to improve the group.”
One of the best compliments Ross ever received came after a show in Chicago when one attendee told the bandleader, “I’ve never seen the dance floor so packed.”
Rockin’ Summer Night event organizers said they are grateful to Motor City Pawn Brokers, Consumers Energy, Mega Shine Car Wash and the Eastpointe-Roseville Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring the event. As for parking, there are two parking lots located off Schroeder. Guests can also use Schroeder and residential side streets to park where it is permitted.
For more information on Rockin’ Summer Night, visit rare-mi.org or call (586) 445-5480.