NORWICH – The Summer of 2016 marks an exciting change up to the NBT Bank Summer Concert Series’ free Thursday summer concerts held in East Park in downtown Norwich.

For 2016, the Chenango Blues Association through the generous corporate support of NBT Bank of Norwich will expand upon the free Thursday concert series to include every Thursday July through August.

Live from the East Park sound stage, the first of eight shows will welcome back country-rockers New Riders of the Purple Sage who have become an annual staple to the organization's roster drawing crowds from up and down the east coast. With ties to the original line up the Grateful Dead, New Riders boast a ubiquitous and relatable set list that compliments the gathering of a diverse, tight-knit music community.

Also new for this season, a kick-off block party style celebration complete with free hot dogs and hamburgers courtesy of the Norwich Rotary, free ice cream from Gilligan’s of Sherburne served by the Norwich Cheer Team and free maple sugar cotton candy from Baker’s Maple Syrup has been organized by Chenango Blues Association members. Those added extras will be available to all who attend beginning at 6:30 p.m. until supplies are gone.

Thursday's concert serves as a ‘Blues Fest opener,’ slated to bring a laundry list of national headliners into the heart of greater Chenango with weekly music leading up to the 24th Annual Chenango Blues Festival – made possible by a core group of blues die-hards earnestly known as the Chenango Blues Association.

But the much anticipated community offering isn’t all about the blues. The Summer Concert Series—and even the Festival itself—pulls from a gamut of music genres including zydeco, Americana, rock roots, and more. The free lesson in music culture wouldn't be possible without the unwavering support of NBT Bank, Chenango Arts Council DEC Grant administration, the R.C. Smith Foundation along with the Greater Norwich Foundation.

“We really appreciate NBT’s support because adding more shows allows us to bring even more diversity to our line-up and it makes it easier to promote the concerts both locally and regionally,” performance committee member A.J. Oliver said in a media release.

Regardless of the weather, the show will go on at the Martin W. Kappel Theater within the Chenango Arts Council located at 27 E. Main Street if rain is predicted. Concert goers are encouraged to bring their favorite lawn chair or blanket for the open seating event.

For more information on any of artists or groups, the 24th Annual Chenango Blues Festival or NBT Summer Concert Series, visit the Chenango Blues Association’s website at www.chenangobluesfest.org, or follow the group on Facebook.