B

Downtown Morristown was alive with the sound of music as the first Concert on the Green and Night Market of the season took place Friday night.

The green was a sea of lawn chairs and blankets, and those who couldn’t find a spot to set up camp, pulled up a hay bale. Nearly 400 people turned out to enjoy the first event. A quick scan of the crowd gave the welcome sight of people jamming to the music, enjoying food and fellowship while gaggles of kids ran around and played to the soundtrack of classic rock and roll.

But this first concert was an extra cause for celebration as it was the debut of the much-anticipated professional stage. The stage was purchased by the city to bolster enthusiasm for downtown performances and provide an added amenity for events.

The new stage was thoroughly christened Friday night by local rock band, Run For Cover.

Run For Cover is a Morristown based band that specializes in classic rock from the 70s ad 80s and has been together since 2015. Their members consist of: Chris Morelock (vocals), Derrick Blackenbeckler (drums), Wayne Stambaugh (guitar), Mitch Smith (guitar) and Rodney Tomlinson (bass)

They put on a show to remember as they rocked the crowd with nostalgic favorites from bands such as Boston, Genesis, Bon Jovi and Rush.

Guitarist Wayne Stambaugh said he couldn’t be more thrilled with how the first concert went and with the new addition of the stage.

“The crowd gave us an incredible reception,” he said, “We were so honored to kick off the concert series. The new stage that the city has purchased adds a lot to help this concert series flourish. They’ve really made leaps forward in promoting downtown. This is such a huge step forward for Morristown, we’re quickly becoming a hub for local music and performers.”

Fellow guitarist Mitch Smith echoed Stambaugh’s sentiments about the new stage.

“The stage was a great investment by the city of Morristown. It creates a professional vibe for the band and audience alike. We were super pleased with how everything turned out,” he said.

The Night Market was also a success as a variety of vendors lined the farmers market pavilion. Home grown plants, baked goods, custom wood work, hand made candy and more were available for people to shop. Lakeside Sweets owner, Whitney Drees, was set up with her baked goods and said she loves having the opportunity to have a presence downtown at the Night Market.

Drees specializes in decorated cookies but offers a wide variety of other treats for people to enjoy.

“I love getting the chance to meet new people and share my love of baking. It’s also nice to experiment and let people sample things that they may not try otherwise. I’m really looking forward to setting up every first Friday,” she said.

Concert on the Green and Night Market is put on by the Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce and will be held downtown on the lawn on the first Friday of the month through September. The event will feature live musical concerts and food trucks. Local vendors will also be set up in the Farmers Market area. If you’re interested in becoming a vendor at the Night Market or have any other questions you can contact the Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce.