“The Palooka Brothers” hit the gazebo this week!

The Palooka Brothers are shown in Galway, Ireland, in this photo of their “formative years.”

America’s (OK, greater Millbrook’s) favorite all-timey string band, The Palooka Brothers, will be performing onstage at the Manchester Gazebo, in Wurster Park, this Thursday night starting at 7:30 p.m.

The Palooka Brothers consist of Jon Cotton, Bruce Bauman, Bruce Gartner, and Dan Bracken, and hail from the mid-Michigan area. They have performed at Wheatland Music Festival, The Great Indoor Folk Festival at Grand Traverse Commons, and at various Contra Dance events around central Michigan.

Come and enjoy their unique sound and be ready to tap your toes to the string sounds of The Palooka Brothers on Thursday night after the Farmer’s Market at Chi-Bro Park and the St. Mary’s Ice Cream Social on the opposite side of Wurster Park.

In case of rain, the concert will still be held, but the location will switch from its traditional outdoor setting to the sanctuary of Emanuel United Church of Christ, just across the street. The music will be just as great with some amazing acoustics, and you won’t need an umbrella! A freewill donation basket will be passed at the intermission about midway through the concert.

This season’s gazebo concerts are dedicated to the memory of Bill Schwab, who was an integral part of the Gazebo Concert Series since its inception in 1989. Please join us on Thursday nights this summer to remember this very special citizen, who gave so much of his time and talent to Manchester events over the years.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.