ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – A summer concert series has returned to Escanaba for the first time in years, and the first installment helped to raise money for a good cause.
June 14 was the first of nine Lunch on Ludington events. From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Wednesday, the public is invited to bring their lunch to the marketplace on Ludington Street and enjoy live music.
The last Lunch on Ludington series was held in 2019. After the pandemic hit, it was put on hold.
Escanaba Downtown Development Authority Director Craig Woerpel says organizers are excited to finally bring back this opportunity for people to socialize and support local musicians.
“It’s a sense of community,” Woerpel said. “It’s bringing people together and having a good time, not taking life so seriously, and just enjoying each other. We have a lot of music opportunities in this town, so I’m really excited about the lineup that we have.”
The first Lunch on Ludington also brought the community together in support of those in need. Scout Troops 410 and 411 hosted a bake sale and hotdog and brat fundraiser for a Ford River family who lost their home in a fire last weekend.
“They happen to be a scouting family, so the kids wanted to do something,” said Woerpel, who is also a scoutmaster. “This was a way to do something quickly to try to get them some spending money right away to be able to help them, because they lost absolutely everything.”
The name of the family affected by the fire is being kept private at this time. If you would like to help them with a donation, contact Woerpel at craig@upscouting.org.
Singer and guitarist John Roman was the first artist to perform at Lunch on Ludington. To see the lineup for the next eight events, click here.
