Town Talk Church Point
Town Talk Church Point
CPCDC Summer Concert Series update with Jessica Landry and Mayor Spanky
Discover the secrets behind transforming a single-day festival into a dynamic summer concert series with our special guest, Jessica Landry from Church Point Community Development. Learn how the Buggy Town Get Down has evolved into a must-attend Thursday evening event featuring fantastic musical acts like Wayne Singleton and Same Ol Two-Step, the Adam Leger Band, and the 80s Experience. Mayor Spanky also joins us to reflect on Central Park's original vision and how these concerts are bringing that vision to life, creating a vibrant community space for everyone to enjoy.
Get the inside scoop on the logistical magic happening at the Depot, from mouth-watering food trucks and refreshing beverages to family-friendly activities that make these gatherings truly special. We also dive into the crucial role of sponsorships and vendor participation in sustaining these free events and encouraging future community gatherings. Don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook and our website, cpcdevelopmentorg, for all the latest updates. Special thanks to Jessica Landry for sharing her insights and making this episode of the Town Talk Podcast unforgettable!
It's another Town Talk podcast. It is Chris, mayor Spanky, and we have a guest with us. We have Jessica Landry from Church Point Community Development. She is a board member and we're here to talk about Buggytown Get Down. It's going to be a little bit different this year than it was last year and we'll get to that in just a bit. We got Mayor Spanky hanging out with us because it's actually the mayor's podcast Hello, hello, hello. So he's in the background and he's here not just for moral support, but we're going to talk about what events like this means to the town. If you remember, last year Church Point Community Development Corporation did a Buggy Town Get Down and it was to celebrate Fourth of July. It was in the New Central Park, they had bands and they had food and they had drinks and then they had a fireworks show and that went off really, really well. But this year, jessica, y'all are doing something just a little bit different. It's a music series. So why don't you explain that?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so originally our vision was that one day event that we had last year, which was great If you came, it was a little hot. So as we started planning for this year, one of the things that we talked about was moving it a little earlier in the year, and we're an all volunteer board and so, as we got to planning, it's a big event, it takes a lot. So we kind of said, well, instead of maybe doing that this year, let's try something a little different and see how it plays out. You see, so many people go to events in Lafayette, like Rhythms and.
Speaker 3:Downtown, and we really think that Church Point needs something like this. What better way to spend a Thursday than in Church Point having a cold beverage and listen to a great band?
Speaker 1:So give us the rundown in dates and who's playing. The first one will be this Thursday, correct, correct, yeah.
Speaker 3:This Thursday from 5.30 to 8, which will be at each one. We're going to start it off with our very own Wayne Singleton and same old two-step. If you were here last year, Wayne started, we only got a few songs out of him and then, unfortunately, we had a little quick power break.
Speaker 1:Yes, the transformer. What was it, Mary?
Speaker 2:The transformer blew down the street and the craziest part of it was the transformer was out of oil, which takes like 50 years and like, because even the people at Energy were like that's not from y'all. You know, everybody thought it was the energy from the stage and all that. It was like it's absolutely, it would have happened no matter what. And he was like it was completely out of all. I was like, wow, that's great timing.
Speaker 3:Great timing. I'll tell you a quick funny story. So there was a wedding that night and Father had came and said hey, like around this time is when we're having the ceremony, like you know. I mean, I know you can't keep it down, but you know, just keep in mind yeah. And then, like within minutes of that time, the power goes out. I was like, if that's not God.
Speaker 1:I don't know what it is, that's right, it was a sign, it was. It went good. So that's the first one.
Speaker 3:Yes, this Thursday is Wayne Singleton and Samo 2-Step, and then next month July series is on July 25th and we're going to have the Adam Leger band that night, which we're super excited about, and then to wrap it up in August, on August 29th, we're going to have the 80s experience. So everybody will have a good variety of dance and music. So we're really excited for it.
Speaker 1:This is going to be at the Depot. At the Depot Now. If people remember last year's Buggytown Get Down, it was more in the green space on the new part across the street of Central Park. But this will be the bands will be set up on the Depot. Yes, street of Central Park, but this will be. The bands will be set up on the depot.
Speaker 3:Yes, there's an actual stage at the depot. It's going to face so they're going to sit at that stage and it faces the hair salon across the street, so the road will be shut off. It's going to be like a street dance, if you will right. So we're going to have our bar set up, our bar, which is sponsored by Church Point Wholesale and Acadiana Tire. We're super grateful for them. We're going to have them set up. We're going to have a food truck blazing snowballs. It's coming to. The food truck is Rip Shack and More, and so we'll have that set up. So, like you could be, kids could be at the skate park. Right, you could have kids at up. So, like you could be, kids could be at the skate park right.
Speaker 3:You could have kids at the playground playing. You could be playing around of pickleball and you're going to hear it, all right, the kids could be at the splash pad. It's just to bring that whole space, which, of course, was originally the mayor's envision of developing that, so it could be utilized for all of it to come together as one Yep.
Speaker 1:Now, mayor, that was going to be my question for you. Obviously, that was a vision. You know this again put together by Church Point Community Development. You know they're the ones that are doing the work and putting on the show, but when you, your whole concept to Central Park was to have events like this.
Speaker 2:And sometimes in this business it takes years for it finally to hit. And this Thursday it's hitting Because that stage was built in my first year as mayor with this envision in mind. But things take time, you, you know it wasn't perfect, you know we had to do a bunch of things, but now it's set into place because that spot right there is where it's very easy to close the roads, it's easy to have like a downtown alive kind of feel. We got, like you said, the pickleball courts, the splash pad. You could come listen to music even, which, if you have kids, you can go and enjoy the splash pad, the playground and hear the music at the same time. And that was the whole vision with that cluster of the central park. That was to make sure that we could have like a downtown alive thing, you know, and a kid's area for because I mean, a lot of times when people go out to a festival like this, well, what do I do with my kids? Oh, I can't go then. Well, this is, everybody can come yeah you know.
Speaker 2:So it, like I said, it feels good to finally see those things which I knew were coming. It was gonna come sooner or later, but you gotta it's kind of like feel a dream. You build it and they will come, and it takes a while but it feels good to finally hit it on. You know, with y'all doing this and I'm glad y'all are doing it, because this is stuff that we need for this town. You know, food trucks, I mean, that is that that's one thing that I've been lobbying for for the past few years. If we can prove concept that people will come and buy, well, maybe when this concert series goes those people could come back, maybe on a monthly basis, and we'll have a food truck night. You know, everywhere else has it, but we got to show that we will sustain that, you know. So this is all working together in the master plan, but I appreciate community development buying into that plan and furthering it to what we're doing.
Speaker 1:This Thursday, June 27th.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 1:It's the first Buggy Town Get Down With who.
Speaker 3:Summer concert series starting with Wayne Singleton and same old two-step from 530 to 8. Bring your lawn chairs. Leave your ice chest at home. Most importantly, bring those dancing shoes. Okay.
Speaker 1:You have dancing shoes.
Speaker 3:I don't need dancing shoes. All my shoes dance.
Speaker 1:Oh, Mayor, you got dancing shoes.
Speaker 2:No, I've got blocks for people.
Speaker 1:Now and also want to just reiterate before we wrap it up it is a free show.
Speaker 3:It is a free show it is a free event and our whole goal is to continue to make this a free community outreach program. So if you have questions about sponsorship or any information we'd love for you to reach out to us. You can contact Chelsea Hopkins at 337-581-9012. Hopkins at 337-581-9012.
Speaker 1:Our sponsors are who are going to be able to keep us having a free event each year, and so there you can purchase food from the food trucks and then purchase beverages. There's going to be a little beverage area set up.
Speaker 3:Right, one food truck is coming which is Rib Shack and More, and then we have Blaze and Snowballs coming, and then we'll have a separate area where the bar is at for all of your cold beverages.
Speaker 2:So yeah, we're excited and to say that Rib Shack comes, they make a boatload. I bet you they tell their friends, yeah. And then the next concert series, there will be more of them.
Speaker 3:That's how things grow right. Proof of concept you put your foot in the water and then, before you know it, you're underwater.
Speaker 2:And that's what we're hoping for, and I thank you all for doing this and I appreciate you coming to this podcast.
Speaker 3:Thanks for allowing us to use this space, it's all good. Also, don't forget, you can always check us out on our Facebook page, as well as our website, which is cpcdevelopmentorg.
Speaker 1:All right, jessica Mayor, thanks for coming in. It's another episode of the Town Talk Podcast.
Speaker 3:Thanks so much for having us.