CLEVELAND — The town of Cleveland has a lot to offer, but nothing shines as bright as Saturday night when Depot Street fills up with music lovers.

Dancing on Depot Street is Cleveland’s summer concert series. Held on the fourth Saturday of each month from April to September, it packs Cleveland’s downtown Depot Street with families and friends of all ages to soak up some tunes.

“I hear from the community that they are really enjoying it,” Commissioner Jeanette Rankin said. “It gives us something else to do in Cleveland.”

Rankin said that the event puts Cleveland’s best foot forward in a welcoming way that invites others to join in. 

“I think it helps build up the town,” she said. “People see that we are doing other things. Between Dancing on Depot Street and Community Day it brings people from outside.”

From Statesville to Salisbury, Dancing on Depot Street draws visitors from out of town to the small western Rowan County municipality. 

“We have had one person who has been coming from the beginning all the way from Mooresville,” Mayor Pro Tem Travis Summitt said. “She comes for every one she can make … We have met folks from out of town, and got to be good friends with them.”

For those who do live in and around Cleveland, the concerts offer a chance to see loved ones.

“The biggest thing a lot of people were talking about is that it’s like family reunions and community reunions all in one with some good music,” Summitt said. 

In addition to the camaraderie, the concerts allow Cleveland to highlight what makes it unique. 

“This gives us a chance to showcase our town,” the mayor pro tem said. 

Last Saturday’s event brought the musical stylings of the headlining West Rowan Elementary School Ukelele Club with the main attraction, the Queens Court Party Band of Charlotte. 

Summitt said that it was great to watch those young kids catch the music bug, adding that having them perform “brings all the grandparents out,” while also getting to see what WRES brings to the town. 

“It is really really neat that we have a group that wants to perform like that at such a young age,” he said. 

Like a lot of community events, the COVID pandemic put a stop to gathering in 2020, but besides that off year, the event has been going on for almost a decade. Its humble beginnings point to just how much the event has grown. 

“The first time we did it our budget was $5,000 for the whole year,” Mayor Pat Phifer said. “When it started out we might have only had 100 people.”

Back then, Phifer was not the mayor, but did serve on the board of commissioners as mayor pro tem. He relied on relationships he made playing music to secure those bookings. Nowadays, bands are coming to them.

“Bands call us to come play,” Phifer said. 

The town aims to keep each concert fresh, offering acts across various genres so that there is something for everybody.

“You try to get a little bit of everything, just a menagerie of different people,” Phifer said. “It is good for the town and has a bolstering effect and summer is a great time to do these things.”

It is definitely catching on as Summitt estimated crowds in excess of 2,500 people at times. With a strong schedule for 2025, the event’s popularity seems poised to continue growing. The remaining lineup is as follows:

• May 24: The Extraordinaires
• June 28: Chris Taylor & the Rumor
• July 26: Preacher Stone
• Aug. 23: The Entertainers
• Sept. 27: The Ultimate Eagles Band – On the Border (Pure Martial Arts opener)

Phifer mentioned that while the event is a great way to draw people downtown to spend time together, it has also been great for those local businesses that call Cleveland home, like Common Ground Coffee and Ice Cream. It has also provided a chance for the Scotch Ireland Masonic Lodge to show their support for the community by offering hot dogs and pop corn. 

Summitt said that the event would not be possible without their sponsors. Which include the Marquee Sponsor, James River Equipment. Stage Sponsors include F&M Bank and Nelson Royals Western Store. The Community Sponsors are Duke Energy, Key Waste LLC, Kepley Construction and Kepley Towing. Lastly, the Cleveland Sponsor is Patterson Farms. 

According to the mayor, support from the Rowan Chamber of Commerce and the Rowan County Tourism Development Authority has helped along with collaboration from other towns in the county, eager to share tips and what works. 

All concerts start at 6:30 p.m. Depot Street is located in downtown Cleveland.