Gazebo Nights was imagined in 2010, shortly after the gazebo was completed in Normal Park. Between Mike Mensching and Karen Karow, they decided it would be a great addition to Merrill to provide music in the park on Thursdays during the summer.
“Wausau was doing it on Wednesdays, and we found out later that Tomahawk was doing it on Wednesdays as well,” Karen said. “So we thought having it on Thursdays would give outside people another music venue to choose from.”
The first thing that had to happen was to find sponsors. Church Mutual was the first sponsor to step up, along with Club Modern, Courtside Furniture, BMO Harris Bank, Merrill Millwork and Brickner’s Park City. Lincoln Lanes allowed Gazebo Nights to use their facility as a rain site, and band beverages were provided by Drew’s Piggly Wiggly.
Current sponsors include: Park City Credit Union, Ace Hardware, Lincoln Community Bank, Nelson’s Powerhouse, Merrill Millwork, Merrill Police Association, Merrill Firefighter Charities, Courtside Furniture, One Way Collision, Brickner’s Park City, Merrill & Tomahawk Community Bank, Reindl Printing, Chip’s Hamburgers (sponsoring Winchester pre-concert music in 2018), Church Mutual Insurance Company, Waid Funeral Home, Lee’s Piggly Wiggly and Lincoln Lanes (as a rain location).
For the first series of concerts in 2011, attendance averaged about 100 people. For the past few years, that average has jumped to 500 to 600 every Thursday night. Series closer, Copperbox, has enjoyed crowds of about 1,500 the past three years.
Through his long-established booking agency, MGM Talent, Mike has the connections to bring in a variety of regional acts. The performers on this year’s schedule represent a wide variety of musical styles. Many of the bands are award winners and many play at Summerfest in Milwaukee. Copperbox has closed the show every year, while the rest of the lineup is always changing.
“There’s a lot of talent in Wisconsin, and we try to bring you something you haven’t heard before,” Mike said.
Mike and Karen have announced that they will be stepping down from the helm of Gazebo Nights after this year’s run of concerts.
“This will be our last year,” Karen said. “We’ve done it for eight years. It’s time for some younger blood.”
They expect to make an announcement this summer regarding who will be taking over the organization of Gazebo Nights.
Although MGM Talent will continue to book the bands for Gazebo Nights, Mike and Karen are looking forward to spending more time with their grandchildren and at their lakefront cottages during the summer.
“We feel like eight years is enough,” Mike said. “We’ll be leaving Gazebo Nights with a good solid foundation and a huge support base.”
“We want to thank all the sponsors and businesses, and the community, for all their support,” Karen added.
For its eighth season, Normal Park will be hosting Gazebo Nights concerts every Thursday night starting at 6 p.m. with the first concert set to go on July 12, and the last concert on Aug. 30.
Each night will have a different band or artist of all varieties of music. There will also be a pre-concert each week at 5 p.m. starting on July 19 with music by Winchester.
There will be food and beverages available for purchase at the park courtesy of the Merrill Hockey Association and Relay for Life. Carry-ins and lawn chairs are welcome at the park. If there happens to be any bad weather the concert will be moved just a couple blocks down the road to Lincoln Lanes where carry-ins will not be allowed.
Gazebo Nights 2018 will kick off on July 12 with a performance by Kevin Moore, an acoustic country and classic rock artist, sponsored by Park City Credit Union.
Additional performances this summer will include:
July 19: Red Ben & The Missing Miles (Fun-A-Billy Grass & Original Music) sponsored by: Merrill Police Association and Reindl Printing
July 26: Broken Arrow Band (Outlaw country and Classic rock) sponsored by: Nelson’s Powerhouse and Merrill Millwork
Aug. 2: Charles Walker Band (Funk, soul and blues music) sponsored by: Merrill Ace Hardware and Lincoln Community Bank
Aug. 9: Whitehouse Players (country and classic rock music) sponsored by: Brickners, Merrill Fire Dept. Charities and Merrill/Tomahawk Community Bank
Aug. 23: Incorruptibles (Rock & Roll and Blues-A-Billy music) sponsored by: Courtside Furniture and One Way Collision
Aug. 30: Copper Box (classic rock polka music) sponsored by: Church Mutual Insurance Company