| Yankee Doodle Pops Update |
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Bring your family, friends and a blanket for the 14th annual Yankee Doodle Pops on Thursday, July 3. Maestro Giunta and the Des Moines Symphony will bring to the stage everyone's favorite patriotic tunes with special guest, Broadway star Craig Schulman. This FREE, outdoor concert sponsored by Bank of the West is located on the west side of the Iowa State Capitol building and is a great way to kick off the Independence holiday weekend.
A new element this year is the joint effort of Governor and First Lady Culver, special guest soloist Simon Estes, the Des Moines Symphony and Bank of the West for the 2008 Iowa Disaster Fund. The 2008 Iowa Disaster Fund aims to help our neighbors throughout the state to rebuild after the recent devastating natural occurrences. Following Craig Schulman's performance, Simon Estes will perform Old Man River, You'll Never Walk Alone and God Bless America. During and following Simon Estes' performance volunteers will be collecting donations throughout the audience. All proceeds from special donations made at Yankee Doodle Pops and throughout the month of July will go directly for disaster relief in Iowa.
The opening act this year is the Josh Davis Band at 6:30 p.m. This local group is known for their county rock influenced tunes. The Des Moines Symphony will take stage at 8:30 p.m. with guest Craig Schulman. Schulman is known in Broadway for his inspiring roles as Phantom in Phantom of the Opera, Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, and the title roles in Jekyll & Hyde. The area's premier fireworks will conclude the event.
With more than 100,000 concert-goers expected for the Des Moines Symphony's Yankee Doodle Pops on July 3, parking is at a premium. Parking is available on the street and in state lots surrounding the Capitol. Lot 10 at the corner of E. 9th and Des Moines Streets is reserved specifically for attendees with ADA designation on their vehicles. The parking ramp on Penn and Grand is open to the public. Parking is also available in downtown parking ramps. The free, downtown shuttle will extend its hours, encouraging attendees to park downtown and take the shuttle to the Capitol with the short walk back at the conclusion of the concert. For those who require a shorter walk to the concert site, a designated drop-off is available on the corner of Grand and Pennsylvania. Vendors selling a variety of foods and drinks will be stationed on Finkbine Drive (located between the stage and the Capitol). The orchestra will perform on a stage facing the Capitol off of E. Locust and E. 7th/Penn. Fireworks will be shot off over the downtown skyline, from the Grand Avenue bridge at the conclusion of the concert. Parking is available in designated downtown lots. A drop off for those with physical disabilities will be on the corner of Grand Avenue and East 9th Street.
WOI radio will broadcast the performance live for the sixth consecutive year and Mediacom will rebroadcast the concert statewide on their Connections Channel July 4th and July 6th at 7:00 p.m.
Yankee Doodle Pops is presented by Bank of the West with additional support from BRAVO Greater Des Moines and James M. Collier. KCCI-TV8 and Lite 104.1 are media sponsors for this event.
Maestro Giunta and Nikki Syverson, Director of Donor Relations and Events, are available for interview by contacting Christina Zink, Director of Marketing, at 515-280-4011,
The Des Moines Symphony is a not-for-profit full-service orchestra formed in 1937. The orchestra performs six classical pairs, an annual Gala, a pop's performance on New Year's Eve Pops and the annual Yankee Doodle Pops concert on July 3. Yankee Doodle Pops is a opportunity for Maestro Giunta and the orchestra to thank the community for their continued support.
For more information visit http://www.dmsymphony.org/ |