Pride of Kinston - Your Source for Downtown Information

One of the main goals of Pride of Kinston's Sand in the Streets concert series is to bring people to downtown. The 2008 concert series has done just that... highlighting Neuseway Park on the bank of the Neuse River as a place to be on a summer Thursday night.

By all accounts, the largest crowd to attend a Sand in the Streets concert in its five-year history came in droves June 12, 2008 to hear Chairman of the Board. Well over a thousand concert goers, according to some estimates, crammed into Neuseway Park to revel in the band's special brand of beach music.

They came back June 26, 2008 to hear Jackie Gore & the Legends of Beach; and again July 10, 2008 to dance and sing with Liquid Pleasure, marking the half-way point in the 2008 series of six concerts. Bryan Hanks, content editor of the Free Press was celebrity emcee for the Liquid Pleasure concert. Beach music takes a break July 24, 2008 when a popular blue grass group, The Grass Cats, takes the stage. WITN-TV's Heather King is the star emcee for The Grass Cats performance.

A week later, July 31, 2008, beach music returns when The Embers perform for their second Streets' engagement in two years; and the concerts end August 14, 2008 with Band of Oz.

"We are gratified that the community have embraced our concerts with great enthusiasm," according to Pride director Adrian King. "This year we've enjoyed more sponsors than ever before, larger and loyal audiences, not to mention some great music. It's wonderful to see whole families come out to enjoy the music and the atmosphere," he said.

King noted that Sand in the Streets is attracting a regional audience, fans from Goldsboro, New Bern, Bridgeton, Greenville, La Grange and from throughout Lenoir County. He noted that Pride is already working to line up the 2009 series.

Pride is working to make this summer’s series the best yet. The lineup, and dates are:

June 12: Chairman of the Board
June 26: Jackie Gore and Legends of Beach
July 10: Liquid Pleasure and recognition of Carl Long’s baseball career
July 24: The Grass Cats
July 31: The Embers
Aug.14: Band of Oz

For more information about this year's Sand in the Streets series and the performers, click here...

Sponsors for the concerts are signing on at a brisk pace, with the Kinston-Lenoir County Tourism Development Authority leading the way with a substantial investment in the series, bringing out-of-towners to downtown Kinston.

Co-producers, or Title Sponsors	Realo Discount Drugs The Free Press* Minges Bottling Group TACC 9*
Single Concert Sponsors	June 12 - Chairman of the Board R.A. Jeffreys Distributing Company June 26 - Jackie Gore & the Legends of Beach First South Bank July 10 - Liquid Pleasure First Citizens Bank July 24 - The Grass Cats Bojangles July 31 - The Embers Perry Management August 14 - Band of Oz King's Restaurant
General Support Contributors	Lenoir Memorial Hospital Chick-fil-A American Tool Rentals* Christopher's Restaurant* Coastal Connections Marketing* Corporate Resources Woodmen of the World the little bank m3 Consulting & Services Gold's Gym Pizza Villa of Kinston
	*In kind services donors

Sponsorship opportunities are available. Click here...

What Is Pride of Kinston?

The mission of Pride of Kinston, Inc., established in 1984, is to lead downtown revitalization in Kinston using the Main Street approach developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which promotes economic development within the context of historic preservation.

Pride of Kinston is one of 57 Main Street communities in North Carolina in a program coordinated by the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Community Assistance. (www.nccommerce.com). For more information about Pride of Kinston, see About Pride.

Sand in the Streets bands attract large crowds

Neuseway Park becomes major downtown destination

Pride is working to make this summer’s series the best yet. The lineup, and dates are:

What Is Pride of Kinston?