Music and color return to Soldotna Creek Park

At Soldotna Creek Park on Wednesday, Hands reached up into rainfall, tasty smells wafted from an array of food trucks and music poured forth from the stage as Hope Social Club delivered the first headlining performance of this year’s Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series.

Though the weather wasn’t exactly compliant with the festivities, attendees were hardly stymied — dancing in the rain, filling the lawn with umbrellas, and celebrating summer in Soldotna.

Maddy Olsen, executive director of the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce, said the Soldotna Music Series is a “staple in our community,” something people look forward to every year. She credited the continuing grant support from the Levitt Foundation with allowing the chamber and city to keep putting on the events.

“The most important thing, to me, is seeing people come together,” Olsen said. “All different backgrounds, ages, it doesn’t matter. We all come together to enjoy the music.”

Wednesday’s fun began before Hope Social Club or opener Woodrow took the park stage, with a color run that began at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge’s Visitor Center and followed the Sterling Highway to the park. Roughly 100 runners endured the rain, as well as several color stations that left them awash in orange and purple.

Olsen said that the weather might have been a deterrent for some but celebrated how many people had still come out for a good time.

“It’s a testament to our community and to this event, the music series itself,” she said. “It brings people out in the best and worst conditions to come together and enjoy the summer — enjoy what Soldotna’s living room has to offer.”

Among the runners was Emily Musgrove, an elementary school-aged child from Soldotna. She beamed ear-to-ear even as she crashed through a wave of orange powder, arriving at the park multi-hued.

Musgrove said after the run that she had fun, that the rain had made the trek a little cold, and that all the color was “exciting.” Her mother said they would be sticking around for the music for as long as they could keep warm.

The Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series continues through August with performers and lawn activities every Wednesday evening. For more information, find “Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series” on Facebook.

Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series

June 12 — Shake City String Band, opening with Ken Waldman and Josh Krohn

June 19 — Alder Street, opening with Ayden See and The Good Companies

June 26 — Witty Youngman, opening with Sarah Superman with Linda Coles

July 3 — Up a Mountain, opening with Mark ‘n Karn

July 10 — Bunny Swan Band, opening with Mario Carboni

July 17 — Roland Roberts Band, opening with Seth Malone

July 24 — Black Barrel & The Bad Men, opening with Riverfront Gang

July 31 — Boot Juice, opening with Chatham Rabbits

Aug. 7 — Robb Justice Band, opening with Gold Peak

Aug. 14 — Two Crows for Comfort, opening with Jess Clemons

Aug. 21 — Mark Taylor, opening with Curt Hahn

Aug. 28 — Ellie Nelson and the Echoes, opening with Transient Identities

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.

Attendees brave orange colored powder during a color run as part of the opening night of the Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series along the Sterling Highway in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Attendees brave purple colored powder during a color run as part of the opening night of the Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series along the Sterling Highway in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Joe Spady, initially tasked with coloring people, finds the color turned back towards himself during a color run as part of the opening night of the Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series along the Sterling Highway in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Emily Musgrove emerges from a cloud of orange powder during a color run as part of the opening night of the Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series along the Sterling Highway in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Hope Social Club performs during the opening night of the 2024 Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Attendees dance in the rain as Hope Social Club headlines the opening night of the 2024 Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Hope Social Club performs during the opening night of the 2024 Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Children listen to Hope Social Club under rainfall during the opening night of the 2024 Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Paul Wright, of Bassline Sound, mixes audio for Hope Social Club under rainfall during the opening night of the 2024 Levitt AMP Soldotna Music Series at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)