The first of the six scheduled Sunset Music Series concerts this summer attracted about 3,000 concertgoers to Wednesday's musical acts, which featured bands Ron Yarosz and the Vehicle, and Blue Sky.

Temperatures in the 70s, sunny skies, great music, and,oh yes, a Presque Isle sunset.

Concertgoers attending the popular and free UPMC Sunset Music Series Wednesday night at Presque Isle State Park's Beach 1 couldn't have encountered better conditions.

Those who came for the music parked their lawn chairs and blankets in the sand and relaxed to the sounds. Those whowanted to take in theatmosphere, and perhaps take a dip in Lake Erie, did so.

Otherswatched or partook inhula-hoop workshops and cornhole games. Dinner time meant waiting in line for a hot dog or hamburger, ice creamor an assortment of items from a food truck parked near thefestivities.

"For music, you can't beat the beach,''Millcreek Townshipresident Connie Kuczynski, 55, said. "As long as they don't cancel these, I usually come. This is the absolutely perfect setting perfect day. You couldn't ask for anything better. It's not too hot. I've been to them when it's been very cold. This is our reward.''

Kuczynskiusually attends every SunsetMusic Seriesevent. She arrived at the beach about 15 minutes before the start of Wednesday's opening5:30 p.m. concert andfound herplace close to the stage.

"It'severybody getting together and just relaxing and listening to the music,'' Kuczynski said. "You meet new people at all of them. You just can't ask for a better thing.''

The first of the six scheduled Sunset Music Series concerts this summer attractedabout3,000concertgoers to Wednesday's musical acts, which featured bands Ron Yarosz and the Vehicle, and Blue Sky.

"Everybodyis out here with their lawn chairs, you have a nice breeze, the beaches are open, the life guards stay later, and it's really like the signal that summer is here,'' said Jon DeMarco, executive director of the Presque Isle Partnership, which organizes the musical series. "It's a very humbling feeling to see all these folks come out and taking advantage of this great resource we have in our backyard.''

Erie residents Carol Bard, 75,and her husband, Dave, 77, arrived at Beach 1 at about 4:15 p.m. and took up residence near the stage.

"We like to get out of the house and we've loved this ever since this series started,'' CarolBard said. "We come to pretty much every one of these because we like the music.It's a beautifulevening. We love to be outside instead of being stuck in the house. We're getting old and we don't have a lot of time left, so we try to have as much fun as we can. We go somewhere just about every night for music.''

Sunset Music Series concertgoers will have a chance to win a restored 1979 Jeep CJ-7 or a $20,000 cash prize in a new giveaway whose drawing is scheduled forNov. 4. Tickets for the drawing are $10 each or three for $20, and can be purchased throughout the summer concert series.

The UPMC Sunset Music Series continues each Wednesday through July 19 atPresque Isle StatePark's Beach 1 from 5:30 p.m. to sunset. Eachevent will feature two bands.

Ron Leonardi can be reached at 870-1680 or by email. Follow him on twitter at twitter.com/ETNleonardi.

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Crowd upbeat at season's first concert at Presque Isle - GoErie.com