FREE: Barker Park Kids’ Summer Series in Troy

The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall is presenting the second annual Kids’ Summer Series in Troy’s Barker Park this summer, beginning on Thursday (July 9) with the captivating jazz-meets-world music of Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius & Heard.

Barker Park – located at the corner of 3rd and State streets – hosts the series of eight weekly kids events this summer, exploring the arts from music to dance, from visual art to theater and more.

All of the events are free and take place at 11am on Thursdays.

Here’s the complete schedule for 2015’s Kids’ Summer Series:

Thursday (July 9): Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius & Heard
Heard is pianist-composer Elizabeth Woodbury Kasius, percussionists Brian Melick and Zorkie Nelson, bassist Bobby Kendall and clarinetist Jonathan Greene, playing world jazz in an all-ages, interactive show with percussion instruments for kids to check out and learn some grooves.

July 16: Dr. Marmalade Puppet Show
Dr. Marmalade, the world traveling vet, tends to animals in distress with her uncanny and charming remedies. With the help of her young audience, laughter and old world wisdom she will have you making monkey sounds, traveling by hot-air balloon and translating for a lost puppy.

July 23: Animal Tales
The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering Children’s Museum presents a hands-on educational opportunity using live animals. Listen to some fabulous animal stories such as “The Greedy Python” by Eric Carle, then meet the live stars of the stories from their animal collection.

July 30: Dog on Fleas
Dog on Fleas have been making crazy original music for kids and families for 15 years, led by Grammy-winning producer Dean Jones. The band explores all kinds of wild musical terrain, from rock to calypso, swing to funk as they stir up a fun-for-the-whole family dance party.

August 6: Andy the Music Man
Andy “The Music Man” Morse is celebrating 20 years as one of the Local 518’s most popular children’s musicians, connecting with his audience as he mingles traditional and original songs, delighting and involving kids through sing-a-longs, dancing, play-acting and storytelling.

August 13: Sensemaya
Led by pianist David Gleason, Sensemaya fuses Latin dance rhythms with the cool sophistication of jazz improvisation. Their repertoire includes funkified interpretations of classic salsa to originals written in the revolutionary timba style of Cuba. Their own uniquely fresh Latin jazz compositions include a variety of styles from Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Brazil and the Dominican Republic.

August 20: Arts Pop, Ping, Ring!
Come join the staff of the Arts Center of the Capital Region and create a colorful piece of art that awakens the senses.

August 27: Movement Story Hour
Appropriate for all age levels, the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company’s workshop is designed to nurture the creative potential of each child featuring verbal and visual tools to assist children in finding innovative shapes and imaginative ways to move.

MORE REAL GOOD FOR FREE EVENTS FOR 2015
VARIOUS DAYS
Schenectady County SummerNight @ State Street, Schenectady (Friday, July 10 at 5pm)
Summer at the Plaza @ the Empire State Plaza, Albany (various days, various times)
Freedom Park Concert Series @ Freedom Park, Scotia (various days @ 7pm)
Inside/Out Performances @ Jacob’s Pillow, Becket (various days at 6:15pm)
Summer NYS Writers Institute Reading Series @ Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs (various days at 8pm)
MONDAYS
Rotterdam Summer Concert Series @ Rotterdam Senior Citizens Center Lawn, Rotterdam (Mondays at 7pm)
TUESDAYS
Schodack Town Park Concert Series @ Town Park, Schodack (Tuesdays at 6pm)
Summer Concert Series @ Clark Art Institute, Williamstown (Tuesdays at 6pm)
Cook Park Concert Series @ Cook Park, Colonie, (Tuesdays at 6:30pm)
Brunswick Summer Concert Series @ Brunswick Family Center, Troy (Tuesdays at 6:30pm)
Music On Main Street @ NBT Bank Lawn, Canajoharie (Tuesdays at 7pm)
Music in the Park @ Town Park, Stony Creek (Tuesdays at 7pm)
WEDNESDAYS
Made in the Shade of The Egg @ Empire State Plaza, Albany (Wednesdays at 12noon)
Rockin’ On the River @ Green Island Bridge Parking Lot/Riverside Park, Troy (Wednesdays at 5pm)
Capital Concert Series @ the Empire State Plaza, Albany (Wednesdays at 5pm)
Music in the Park @ North End Firehouse Lawn, Rensselaer (Wednesdays at 6pm)
Sharon Springs Summer Concert Series @ the Chalybeate Park Pavilion, Sharon Springs (Wednesdays at 7pm)
Evenings On the Green @ Bethlehem Public Library Lawn, Delmar (Wednesdays at 7pm)
Summer Music Series @ East Greenbush Community Library, East Greenbush (Wednesdays at 7pm)
Lake George Arts Project’s Wednesday Night Summer Concert Series @ Shepard Park, Lake George (Wednesdays at 7:30pm)
THURSDAYS
Jazz On Jay @ Jay Street, Schenectady (Thursday at 12noon)
Alive at Five @ Jennings Landing in the Corning Preserve, Albany (Thursdays at 5pm)
Concerts in the Park @ Wiswall Park, Ballston Spa (Thursdays at 6pm)
The Crossings Summer Concert Series @ the Crossings of Colonie, Colonie (Thursdays at 6:30pm)
Guilderland Performing Arts Center Concert Series @ Tawasentha Park, Guilderland (Thursdays at 7:30pm)
FRIDAYS
UpBeat On the Roof @ Skidmore College’s Tang Museum, Saratoga Springs (Fridays at 7pm)
Music at Sunset Concert Series @ Greenport Town Park, Hudson (Fridays at 7pm)
Athens Summer Concert Series @ River Front Park, Athens (Fridays at 7pm)
SATURDAYS
Riverlink Summer Concert Series @ Riverlink Park, Amsterdam (Saturdays at 7pm)
SUNDAYS
The Music Haven Concert Series @ the Music Haven in Central Park, Schenectady (Sundays at 7pm)