The Concert in the Park series continues this Thursday as local country singer/musician Johnny Dietrich takes to the stage as the headline performer.

Dietrich, from Portage la Prairie, has performed at the William Glesby Centre and many venues in the area over the years.

The upcoming free show should be one of the highlights of the series, which is sponsored by Portage Community Revitalization Corp.

Dietrich has two well-selling CDs and has gained a strong following in the area.

This show will be the last one in the series this summer.

The Concert in the Park event starts at 6 p.m. Dietrich will perform following the opening band Quite Likely. The show runs until 8 p.m.

Dietrich loves the idea of having a concert in the park.

“I think it’s one of the best ideas that have come along for a long time,” he said. “It’s so nice in the park and it’s so casual. People can come out for an evening and bring a lawn chair.”

He especially appreciates how the concerts have helped bring more people into Island Park.

“It has really revitalized that part,” he said. “I have met people there that didn’t realize how nice that park is.”

During his performance, Dietrich will be playing many of his original songs as well as some of the popular cover tunes.

“It will be a little bit of everything,” he said.

He will be supported by local bass-guitar player Ken Wettlaufer.

“It will be basically acoustic,” said Dietrich.

Visitors can expect to hear music by Johnny Cash and Dierks Bentley as part of Dietrich’s show.

“At the last concert (in the park) there were about 300 people there,” said Dietrich, adding he hopes to see as many people at his show also.

angela.brown@sunmedia.ca