CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Marshalltown residents have enjoyed music, food and community at Live after 5. The annual series of events is scheduled to begin in June. However, whether or not the series will be affected from the COVID-19 pandemic remains to be seen.

Summer is fast approaching, and with it comes farmers’ markets, outside concerts and many other fun community activities.

A favorite of many Marshalltown residents, Live After 5 at the Orpheum is on its fifth year. Like most events across Iowa and the world, the concert series may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing guidelines.

Bob Untiedt, director of the Orpheum, said he is unsure if the coronavirus will affect the concert schedule at the Orpheum. The Maytags, a band from Des Moines, are set to perform May 1, but no one knows how long social distancing will be necessary.

Thankfully Live After 5 is not scheduled to begin until the end of June, when self isolating might be a thing of the past.

The Orpheum will continue to host a free live concert every Friday from June 19 to August 21 in the lot east of the Orpheum Theater. Food and drinks will also be available.

Untiedt said he has been impressed with the quality of the musicians who have participated.

“There have really been some extraordinary groups we’ve brought in,” he said.

Untiedt mentioned he has enjoyed discovering some great Iowa bands through Live After 5.

He believes it is an important event for Marshalltown residents.

“We do it in part because we want to make Marshalltown a better home for people,” Untiedt said.

He hopes the concert series creates great memories for people. Untiedt said he sees people stick around and talk after the performances. These concerts create connections and strengthen community.

“It’s great art. People like it,” he said.

Though Untiedt was reluctant to “use numbers to justify art,” he said the attendance shows that people really value the concerts.

Untiedt said Live after 5 has really grown over the years.

“The first year we averaged 90 people. Last year we averaged 296 people,” he said.

Untiedt also noted there has been an increase in families with young children, which he hopes will continue. He said people have enjoyed seeing children dancing in front of the stage during the concerts.

This is the fourth year the concert series has received a grant from the Community Foundation of Marshall County. While the funding went to the entire series in the past, it will now be used for the B2Wins, or Brazilian Twins, concert on June 19.

Live after 5 is primarily funded through Friends of the Orpheum Theater, which has allowed the series to secure many high quality bands.

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Contact Anna Shearer at ashearer@timesrepublican.com.