By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Downtown Bowling Green marked the start of its DORA Program for the summer and the launch of the new weekly music series BG Live.
While Friday’s concert had to be moved inside Juniper Brewing Company because of wet weather, the skies cleared for Saturday’s show featuring Nikki D and the Sisters of Thunder.
The Toledo-based gospel group held forth for two hours in the parking lot McKenzie’s Flower Basket and BG Graphics Company on Main Street. More than 100 people came out to celebrate being able to gather and party after a year of COVID-19 restrictions.
Nikki D was happy to serve as instigator in the celebration. Every song has some crowd participation. On one number she included local street names suggested by members of the crowd into the lyrics.
The series’ opening act Friday was Tim Concannon playing with a trio, that was expanded to a quartet when he spotted a guitarist walking passed the shop’s window behind the stage. He invited him in to join in a set of blues and originals that included an off-beat rendition of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land.”
Later Concannon was joined by Cole Christensen on mandolin.
The series will present music in the downtown lot every weekend this summer through Labor Day on Friday and Saturday, 5-7 p.m. Rain locations will be Juniper Brewing Company,139 S. Main, on Fridays and Doc’s Big City Saloon, 145 N. Main, on Saturdays.
On Friday, June 4, the series will feature a set by singer-songwriter Tom Gorman followed by the Irish band Toraigh. Saturday’s show will feature Tim Tegge and the Black Swamp Boys.
The DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area) in downtown Bowling Green also started Friday. Patrons of eight establishments within the DORA are permitted to sell alcoholic beverages “to-go” which will be poured into designated, marked cups. Customers must consume the beverages within the marked DORA district. The participating bars and restaurants are: Bar 149, Beckett’s Burger Bar, City Tap & The Attic, The Clay Pot (formally Naslada Bistro), Doc’s Big City Saloon, Juniper Brewing Company, SamB’s Restaurant, and Trotter’s Tavern.
DORA hours are: Monday-Thursday: 4-10 p.m., and Friday-Sunday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
