By Brandi Makuski

CREATE Portage County has been awarded a $25,000 grant to help bring eight weeks of live music to Pfiffner Park this summer.

Greg Wright, executive director of CREATE, said the announcement came last week.

CREATE is one of two organizations in Wisconsin, and 15 throughout the country, to be awarded the 2017 Levitt AMP grant, which was based partly by popular online voting.

“The first round included meeting the requirements, which included having an outdoor venue with grass seating near the downtown area,” Wright said. “The intent is to spark economic development.”

Wright said the Pfiffner band shell isn’t used as much as it could be, and the funds will go towards paying performers to play in Stevens Point.

“The goal is to bring diversity to the community, so an objective is to bring acts that otherwise wouldn’t be traveling through this area,” Wright added.

CREATE will be working with organizers from UWSP’s Arts Management Program and Centertainment, Wright said, as well as Riverfront Rendezvous to determine which acts to bring to the band shell. Wright said the group plans to offer something for all musical tastes.

“We want a wider variety than just what’s offered at Riverfront; we just got the grant, so obviously we haven’t secured anybody yet,” he said.

Performances are scheduled four consecutive weeks — June 1, 8, 15 and 22 — before Riverfront Rendezvous 2017, and four weeks following the event on July 13, 20, 27 and Aug. 3.

The concerts are free and open to the public, Wright said.