Insights

Creativity During Covid: A Mobile Stage-On-Wheels

April 01, 2021 by Jeff Hadley

Categories: Uncategorized

For years, the Belvedere Concerts In The Park have been a much-anticipated summer tradition. Bringing families and neighbors together for a fun community event, the monthly Concerts In The Park feature local bands throughout the summer season playing at the iconic Belvedere Park. Every year, Hadley provides sponsorship to the committee to help fund the concerts, which are free for those attending the shows. 

Because of Covid-19, this year’s concerts were looking to be cancelled due to state mandates and risk-mitigation. Yet in the midst of uncertainty comes creativity, and – with a little help from our Hadley team – the Concerts In The Park committee members were able to take an inventive idea and make it happen. 

Inspiration met collaboration! And before we knew it, the bandwagon planning and construction had begun! Our team went to work turning a Hadley truck (which typically transports debris boxes) into a fully functional, flatbed stage-on-wheels.  One of our talented carpenters, Luis, spent half-a-day building an 8’ x 16’ platform with rope railings for extra safety. Of course, we wanted to ensure the platform could accommodate six-feet spacing for social distancing requirements. Once the stage platform was built and safely secured, members of the concert committee attached chairs; the band brought their equipment and speakers; and our first ever Concerts-In-The-Park “parade” was a complete success! 

In an effort to avoid a holiday weekend which might encourage large crowds, the inaugural social distancing Concerts-In-The-Park (on wheels) was held the Thursday before Memorial Weekend. The procession included a lead car, our Hadley truck (with the band performing on our flatbed stage), and about twenty Concerts-In-The-Park committee members walking and riding their bikes. 

We held two additional Concerts-In-The-Park parades in June and August, which were both absolutely unforgettable experiences! It was so rewarding to see the kids, families, and neighbors of all ages enjoy these concert events, especially with all of the uncertainty of Covid-19. To put it simply: It was just pure joy! It truly brought back a small sense of normalcy and good ol’ fashioned hometown fun.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without our dedicated Concerts-In-The-Park committee members who truly were the ones who made this all happen! With a little imagination and a lot of hard work, they came together to keep the Belvedere summer tradition alive. Hadley was a small part of it, and we were honored and grateful to have been given a chance to contribute and be part of the memories!