Party in the Park Closes Summer Concert Series
August 23, 2006

The final free summer concert series event at Jordan Valley Park takes place this weekend with an evening of activities, including a college-oriented rock concert and the third annual Moonlight Bike Ride.

Detroit-based rock band Sponge will headline the Party in the Park, which also features five other local and regional acts beginning at 7 p.m. at the Jordan Valley Park amphitheatre. Since debuting at number four on the charts in 1995, Sponge has been featured on MTV and has twice appeared at the Lollapalooza music festival.

Opening the 7 p.m. concert will be Jefferson City-based Shaman's Harvest. The Springfield bands in Saturday's lineup include: Levee; S-Foil; Eddie Gumucio; and Amsterband.

The event will include free register-to-win items, including a 42-inch flat-screen TV; five $100 Price Cutter grocery cards; and a $250 Visa check card.

The sponsors for the Party in the Park are the Drury University Student Union Board, Great Southern, Price Cutter, GO Magazine, radio station Q102.1, AT&T; the City of Springfield and the Springfield-Greene County Park Board.

The rain date for the concert is Sunday, Aug. 27. Information will be updated on (417) 864-1010.

The third annual Moonlight Bike Ride will take off from Jordan Valley Park at 9:30 p.m. Saturday for a nearly 7-mile ride through Center City. The ride ends back at the park for the remainder of the concert and a free pancake breakfast for bike ride participants.

The Moonlight Bike Ride is hosted by the Discovery Center and Ozark Greenways and sponsored by Sunshine Bike Shop, Great Southern Bank and Batteries Plus. The pre-registration cost is $15 for adults and $10 for children; fees increase $5 day-of ride. Helmets and headlights are required.

This year's Moonlight Bike Ride is dedicated to the memory of Kevin Umlauf, the owner of Sunshine Bike Shop who died unexpectedly earlier this summer at age 46. Sunshine has sponsored the bike ride for the past three years and Umlauf was an ardent supporter of cycling events in the Springfield area.

Free headlights will be given to the first 100 pre-registrations without a headlight, and registration includes a free T-shirt. A free Bike Rodeo to sharpen riders' riding and safety skills begins at 7 p.m. The first 20 to register without a bike can use a free rental bike, courtesy of Galloway Creek Outfitters. For more information, visit www.discoverycenter.org.

For more information, contact: Louise Whall, Director of Public Information, (417) 864-1010 or (417) 880-9151.