Flights & Sounds of Summer Festival Returns

On Friday, August 6th, swing into the Great Park with Swingtown, the 11-piece band filled with brilliant horns, trumpets, trombones, saxophones and vocals galore as they launch Friday Night Dance Parties. The big band dance sounds of Swingtown will perform in front of historic World War II Hangar 244 beginning at 8:00 p.m. Don't know how to boogie-woogie? Dance instructors will get you up and on your feet starting at 7:30 p.m.

Then on Saturday, August 7th, come back and enjoy the dynamic expression and intensity of Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles the first all-woman professional mariachi ensemble in the United States as they kick off this season of Great Park Saturday Night Concerts. Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles will instill an exceptional taste of mariachi with passion at 8:00 p.m. The evening kicks off at 7:00 p.m., with local comedians Patrick Keane, Eddie Barojas and Tim Chizmar.

"We are proud to present Flights & Sounds of Summer Festival exceptional music and dance concerts including proven favorites and new discoveries," said Larry Agran, Chair of the Orange County Great Park Corporation. "More than 25,000 people enjoyed last year's concert and dance series and we look forward to welcoming even more people this year."

Upcoming 2010 summer performers include a wide variety of first-rate artists, featuring a return engagement from Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, one of last year's most popular performers. Other upcoming performers include the five-time Grammy Award-winning, Blind Boys of Alabama local surfing champion and artist Donavon Frankenreiter, ScrapArtsMusic, Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite-Boys and BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet with Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Mardi Gras Indians.

Flights & Sounds Summer Festival is presented by the Orange County Great Park Corporation in partnership with Irvine Barclay Theatre. Concertgoers can watch the show from chairs provided in a temporary concert pavilion or bring their own chairs to listen to the music from the Great Park Lawn.

Before each performance, Hangar 244 is transformed into the Hangar Caf�, a lounge-like dining area serving up everything from snacks to full dinners, along with refreshments. The menu features themed items inspired by the global mix of musicians, and visitors can choose to also pre-order their picnics by visiting www.ocgp.org.