If you haven’t been over to Annapolis City Dock recently, you may be surprised to find it’s turned into a construction zone. There’s that ugly gash in the parking area at Annapolis City Dock where the Harbor Master’s office used to be. And there’s that chain link fence around the whole mess, the first visible signs that the city’s often delayed project to re-imagine the dock area is finally under way.
But that doesn’t mean the Sunday (and sometimes Friday) evening concerts, longtime summertime staples in Susan Campbell Park at the end of the dock, won’t go on as usual, says city spokesperson Mitchelle Stephenson.
“You can still stroll along Ego Alley to the park and enjoy the concerts,” she said. “The real work begins after the fall boat shows.”
The “real work” is an estimated $88 million project to ease the increasing flooding of the dock area. It involves redoing electrical work, putting utilities underground, realigning storm drains, and installing vertical flood barriers.
In addition, they’ll install an earthen berm that will become part of the expanded park stretching from Craig Street, near the former Harbor Master building to Susan Campbell Park, with a fountain and performance stage.
Stephenson said the city had to make some changes for the spring sailboat show, moving a few exhibits further up Ego Alley and reconfiguring others, and they will have to do the same for the vastly bigger boat shows in October. But none of that will affect the summertime concerts.
“We were kind of in limbo for a while because we weren’t sure what was going on at the dock,” said David Arthur, the vice chair of the Annapolis Art in Public Places Commission, which sponsors the concerts. “We had booked some folks and got some money together, but we were in a holding pattern because we didn’t know.”
Lyn Farrow, the commission chair, said they “weren’t sure what to do at first,” and had thought about “little pocket parks around the city we could use,” but that wasn’t necessary when the group found out they could still use the dock this summer.
“It’s more attractive by the water with the boats,” she said. “The only downside is that big ugly lot where they tore down the Harbor Master’s building. And work’s beginning there.”
This season’s series was to have opened June 8 with Bayside Big Band, but the concert was called off because of the threatening weather. Instead, City Dock Tango opened the season on Friday, June 13.
Eddie Arossi, who has been at the heart of City Dock Tango for 10 years, said, “We thought we weren’t going to be able to do it this year because of all the work down there, but they called me and said they had dates for me… The City Dock is a special place, outdoors by the water with the boats in the background. It’s very romantic. It’s really a match for tango dancers.”
The concerts, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., continue with Pantone’s/Positive Vibrations Steel Drum Band on June 22 and City Dock Dance Party with DJ Simon on the 29th.
City Dock Tango is back on Saturday, July 5, followed by Dr. Phill’s Big Band on Sunday the 6th. The Starvation Army Jazz Band appears July 13 and the Hotel Paradise Orchestra takes the stage on July 20. DJ Simon and the City Dock dance party return on the 27th.
The Art in Public Places Commission hasn’t yet completed bookings for August. Check their website this summer for updates.
