Free concerts, movie nights planned for Beaufort's Waterfront Park

Main Street Beaufort, USA, is wrapping up plans for free monthly movie nights and lunchtime concerts at the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park -- family-friendly events that could quell recent complaints from residents that more free activities aren't held at the downtown green space.

The city spent $7 million in 2006 to renovate the park.

"This is what people have been asking for, and we actually started talking about these events before the issue really broke out, " said LaNelle Fabian, Main Street executive director. "Many people in the community have jumped on board and started supporting us."

The three-month movie series kicks off Aug. 27 and will feature a screening of "The Great Santini" at the park pavilion. Parts of the movie were filmed in the area.

"Rudy" will roll the last Thursday of September to celebrate football season. Organizers are still debating which Halloween-appropriate flick to show the last Thursday in October.

A different nonprofit organization will sell concessions each month and keep the proceeds, Fabian said.

The lunchtime concert series will feature concerts at the park pavilion on the second Wednesday of September through December.

The Arts Council of Beaufort County, which also organizes the bi-monthly Port Royal Performance Series, will spearhead concert-event planning, said J.W. Rone, arts council executive director.

"These types of events help make a community vibrant and vital," Rone said. "We are beginning with a very low budget for this program, so the Arts Council will be reaching out inside the community to more established acts and try to get them involved in this program."

The city's Hospitality Association, which represents local food service, grocery, convenience and restaurant industries, is funding both series with its share of hospitality tax revenues.

Main Street will get about $10,000 to $12,000 to cover expenses during the series' first year, said Nick Borreggine, association executive director and owners of Panini's restaurant.

"With the general state of the economy, we thought something free would benefit everyone from the gas stations to the restaurants," Borreggine said.

If the first round of events are successful, they could extend beyond 2009, Fabian said.

City Manager Scott Dadson said city officials are ready to help. That could include making sure the park is available,ensuring enough police are working each event and waiving some fees that might apply, he said.

"If it requires a little extra staff and time, we're happy to do that because this benefits everybody," he said. "For these kinds of events, if there's a way we can help, we will help."