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PrintConcerts on the Commons
Sundays will never be the same
JJ Grey and Mofro play to an enthusiastic crowd in Teton Village on September 25, 2010.
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It wasn’t that long ago that summertime in Teton Village meant few crowds and even fewer events to draw locals and tourists away from town. Many local residents didn’t even set foot in the village’s grassy common spaces between the ski resort’s closing in April and November, when it reopened. Tourists could find a handful of things to do, but certainly not enough to fill a weeklong trip.
Those days may be over, with the addition of a variety of activities—from new mountain biking trails to daily educational talks. Rounding out the week is Concerts on the Commons, further broadening Teton Village’s appeal beyond the terrain parks and powder skiing of winter. Sundays in the summer now mean live music, beer, and food, all before the sun sets and the kids have to go to bed.
“Music is a great way to get locals out there,” said Dom Gagliardi, founder of Poppa Presents, which books talent for the shows. “It’s also a good thing to give hotel guests, getting people to travel here and stay in hotels in Teton Village.”
Entering its second summer, the concert series, sponsored by the Teton Village Association and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, will ramp up July 17 and run through August 14. Each week will feature a different national touring act, with the entertainment running from 4 to 8 p.m.
The concerts never would have come to fruition had it not been for the Teton Village Association’s decision to build a commons area in the Village core. After reclaiming a pond that had been there for years, the association built a plaza space with fire pit, pop-jet fountain, playground, and outdoor amphitheater.
“I think it’s really added a central place to gather,” said association director Sue Bybee.
