Amphitheaters are staying busy

It seems interest in Columbia County's 2-year-old amphitheater continues to grow steadily along with the number of events held there.

"We've definitely added more concerts and it's being rented out by the public more this year than last year," Stacie Adkins, the community events manager for Columbia County Community and Leisure Services, said of the amphitheater that opened in June 2006. "We purposely tried to do more this year than last year. Because it's an outside theater, it gave us a chance to utilize the warm weather as much as we could."

Since the Columbia County Amphitheater opened, it has generated $8,600 in revenue from 43 private events, many of them weddings, said Sandy Boner, Columbia County community centers department manager.

But Columbia County isn't alone in high amphitheater demand and offerings.

On Monday, an 18-week summer concert series concludes at the Hopelands Gardens amphitheater in Aiken with a performance by the Aiken Community Band.

"I think our concert average this year is right at 900 people every Monday night and there are some concerts, like the (U.S.) Marine Corps Band in July, where we'll get 2,000 people," said Lisa Hall, the supervisor of Rye Patch and Hopelands Gardens for the city. "There are probably four or five concerts where we've had over 1,000 in attendance."

Organizers also recently planned two events in October for the area's newest amphitheater named for former lawmaker D. Douglas Barnard Jr. at Augusta State University. An alumni association barbecue will be held on Oct. 10 and an ASU Theater performance of Antigone is scheduled to run from Oct. 7-11. A concert and fireworks display will be held tonight as a culmination for the university's Week of Welcome.

Beyond the performances, the amphitheater is located next to the school's Student Activities Center and is WiFi accessible.

"Before we even dedicated it back in April, the students were out there," said ASU Assistant Vice President for Plant Operations Therese Rosier, who also helped design the amphitheater.

Students often eat, hang out and play frisbee at the amphitheater, Ms. Rosier said. Professors have taught classes at the venue and many of the school's performing arts groups are planning shows there, she added.

"It's really become a gathering point, because it is in the center of campus," Ms. Rosier said.

In Columbia County, Mrs. Adkins said she expects about 1,500 people to attend a Sunday concert at the county's amphitheater in Evans featuring The Chairman of the Board and a Jimmy Buffet cover band. The beach music show is one of many offered this year at the venue behind the Columbia County Library on Evans Town Center Boulevard.

Since the warm weather of Southern summers often extends into autumn, Ms. Adkins and her staff recently organized a free Thursday evening Sunset Music Series, which started Thursday and continues until Sept. 11. Also planned for September at the venue is a movie series, and two concerts are scheduled for the fall.

The only event listed exclusively for the Jessye Norman Amphitheater in Augusta is Paine College's Evening of Jazz on Sept. 13, said Yolanda Marshall of Riverwalk Special Events.

"Basically, we have a lot of rentals," Ms. Marshall said, adding that the venue is a popular wedding spot.

Hopelands Gardens Amphitheater also is a popular place to get married, Ms. Hall said.

Already, the venue is booked nearly every weekend for the spring, she said.

Reach Donnie Fetter at (706) 868-1222, ext. 115, or donnie.fetter@augustachronicle.com.