Arts IMPACT downtown Mt. Pleasant

MT PLEASANT — Downtown Mt. Pleasant marks each summer with farmers markets, cruise nights, and the over a century old tradition of the Mt. Pleasant Community Band.

Thursday evenings in June contain the sound of notes floating in the fresh air as children run around central park, the P.E.O sell pie, and the community comes together in Central Park.

Arts IMPACT Advocate Ed Kropa would compare these concerts to something like Norman Rockwell’s aesthetic.

These concerts are such delightful small town moments, that they mimic Rockwell’s exaggerated realism.

More beautiful, however, is the fact that these simply charming evenings are not caricatures merely caught on a page, but real life to be experienced.

According to Kropa, even the less-mobile community members join in this sweet tradition.

“Those people who cannot walk up to watch the band will still sit in their cars, roll down their windows and listen, and they’ll just blow their horns when the music comes to an end,” Kropa said as he gushed.

“It’s just too much, sometimes …” Kopra said and trailed off in thought.

Previously, Arts IMPACT has provided crafts, bubbles, and other forms of engagement for the younger listeners to enjoy.

This year, children are invited to bring a creature to the feature.

Creatures can include stuffed animals, painted rocks, a crafted milk bottle, or whatever their imaginations can create.

This activity will engage the youthful listeners in pretend play, as the children encourage their creatures to sit under benches, beside them on blankets, or run around with them in their arms.

Kopra attributes the idea for the creatures from a pop-up community art instillation on the bike trail by the Mt. Pleasant Community High School.

“I was riding my bike and noticed rocks that were lining the side of the tail,” he said. “After a couple of times going around I saw a sign about the community snake asking people to feed the snake by bringing rocks to add to it.”

As Kopra continued to visit the path, he realized the grass had grown, and wondered if this magically growing snake might be afraid of the fierce blades of the inevitable lawn mower.

“I moved about 10 rocks or so and the sign under a bench where they would be safe from the dangerous blades of the mower,” Kopra said.

He left a note in sidewalk chalk pointing to where the scared snake could now be found.

The snake has continued to grow and the last time Kopra looked it was nearly 40 rocks long.

Kopra is excited about any opportunity for the community come together through the arts and would love to find the instigator of the Rock Snake.

“Pop up public art is certainly a way to start interest in art pieces,” Kopra said.

Mt. Pleasant Public Art IMPACT Chairman of the Board Phil Gieser describes the purpose of the group as introducing art to the community and supporting any kind of art in whatever way they can.

That is exactly what they continue to do by supporting the community gathering for the band concerts Thursday evenings.

The P.E.O will still sell slices of pie, the children will still run around, and the music will still fill downtown, because summer has arrived.

The first Community Band concert will be Thursday, June 16 from 7-8 p.m. in Central Park.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com