The Fight to Save Brighton's Beloved Summer Concerts

Brighton — After a few long months, the sounds of summer were heard in Brighton once again.

On Sunday night, the Brighton Kiwanis Club officially kicked off its 50th year of the summer concert series with an outstanding performance by Magic Bus at SELCRA Meijer Park.

They couldn't have asked for a better turnout. Just about every inch of the park was packed with lawn chairs, picnic blankets, families and friends. The food trucks stayed busy all evening, and the classic car show was also back in full swing.

The series was off to a fantastic start, and just about every aspect of the night was a major success.

But it wasn't easy getting here.

For half a century, the Brighton Kiwanis Club's Summer Concert Series has been one of the best small-town concert series anywhere in Michigan. Every Sunday night, thousands of people gather downtown to listen to live music, check out some classic cars, grab a hot dog and enjoy a summer evening together. For many in Brighton, it’s one of the highlights of the season.

That's why, when the Kiwanis Club announced back in May that it would be canceling the concerts for the first time in 50 years, people were absolutely devastated—and rightfully so.

It's not like the Kiwanis Club couldn't afford the concerts or find anyone to perform. A few greedy, selfish and downright stupid decisions nearly brought this beloved summer tradition to an end.

Here's the story:

In 1976, Kiwanis Club member Dennis Dimoff launched the very first Sunday night concert series at Brighton's Mill Pond, and it was an instant success. After some time they added the classic car show, vendors and food, and before long it had become one of Brighton's biggest summer traditions.

Over the years, the concerts became one of the club's biggest fundraisers, helping raise more than $350,000 for projects in Livingston County.

Then in 2018 the Brighton City Council had to come along and ruin everything.

They spent $739,500 of taxpayer money to tear down the perfectly good gazebo the Kiwanis Club had been using for its concerts and replace it with a brand-new amphitheater. It’s gorgeous, don't get me wrong, but also completely pointless.

Nobody in Brighton was asking for a three-quarter-of-a-million-dollar amphitheater. What they wanted was to keep enjoying the Kiwanis Club's summer concerts every year like they always had.

But now, the club couldn't afford to use it. Not only was the city going to charge thousands of dollars to rent the new venue, but renovations downtown meant there was no space for the classic car show.

So the Kiwanis Club packed up their stuff and set off to find somewhere else to hold their Sunday night concerts.

Thankfully, Brighton High School quickly stepped in and offered up their space. It was going to be perfect! There was more parking, more room for the classic cars, and everyone loved this new location.

The day was saved and everyone lived happily ever after... until, earlier this year, when another group came gunning for the poor Kiwanis Club concerts.

So back in 2011, while Brighton High School was expanding its athletic complex, the school district signed an agreement with the Pine Creek Ridge subdivision next door that prohibited any non-school events from being held there on Sunday evenings.

Nobody ever paid any attention to it... until this year, when the subdivision suddenly decided to start enforcing it.

Whether they just couldn't stand listening to two hours of Jimmy Buffett on a Sunday night or they're actually just cold-hearted people who hate charity is beyond me. Either way, thanks to them, the Kiwanis Club could no longer hold its concerts at the high school.

For the first time in 50 years, the Brighton Kiwanis Club had no choice but to cancel its summer concerts. The sounds of summer were no more, and the community was heartbroken.

When news of this broke, everyone in Brighton was talking about it. People took to Facebook to share exactly how they felt, angry and frustrated that the community's most beloved summertime tradition had been taken away.

Around that same time, my dad, Buddy Moorehouse—who used to work for the Brighton newspaper and is no stranger to telling people exactly how he feels about Brighton, the City Council and their questionable uses of taxpayer money—published this piece for Michigan Enjoyer explaining exactly why people were so angry and how this whole mess unfolded.

The story caught the attention of people all over Livingston County. The conversation got louder, people became even more determined to find a solution, and before long, their prayers were finally answered.

The local community recreation authority, SELCRA, told the Kiwanis Club they could hold both the concerts and the classic car show at a park they own behind Meijer. They quickly threw together a schedule with four concerts, and it all kicked off Sunday night.

I was lucky enough to experience the first concert firsthand, and it went off without a hitch!

SELCRA Park feels like the perfect new home for these concerts. There's plenty of room for the music, even more space for the classic car show, easy parking, a playground for the kids, and the same friendly atmosphere that's exactly what this kind of event needs.

The debut performance of this year's series, Magic Bus, was a total hit. Within the first two songs, people were already up on their feet dancing. The lawn was packed, the classic car show was back and better than ever, and the Kiwanis Club even debuted its brand-new concession trailer serving popcorn, ice cream and cold drinks.

More importantly, though, it still felt like the same type of summer concert everyone had loved for the past 50 years. The location may have changed, but the tradition sure hasn't.

Three concerts are still scheduled for the rest of this month, all on Sundays just as they always have been. Billy Mack and the Juke Joint Johnnies perform Aug. 9, followed by The Persuasion Band on Aug. 16, and Allentown on Aug. 23.