Share
Renowned for bringing great music to important causes across the state, Club Phred will be upping the ante on Saturday, July 23, when the band takes the stage with acclaimed rocker Mark Farner (formerly of Grand Funk Railroad).
The outdoor concert event benefits the Marshall Steam Museum and will include food, drink, and a silent auction (all spotlighting local businesses), plus entry to the museum, demonstrations, and an opportunity to tour the first floor of the Auburn Heights mansion. Gates open at 12:30pm, with the concert performance from 2:30pm to 4pm.
Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad
Auburn Heights Preserve, operated by the Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve (F.A.H.P.) in partnership with Delaware State Parks, features not only the Marshall Steam Museum, home to the world’s largest operating collection of Stanley steamers, but also the Auburn Valley Railroad, with its 1/8-size coal-fired steam locomotives. It seems fitting, therefore, that a legendary guitarist and songwriter whose famous band took its name from a little-known Michigan landmark (Grand Trunk Railroad) would choose to “ride the rails” at Delaware’s little-known cultural gem, Auburn Heights Preserve.
Club Phred, a perpetual News Journal Reader’s Choice favorite, has raised more than $2.2 million since 2004 for a wide range of charitable organizations. “When we asked longtime member and contributor Fred Dawson if his band would perform in our first major fundraiser, we had no idea where that idea would lead,” comments Susan Randolph, Executive Director of the Marshall Steam Museum and F.A.H.P. “When Fred jumps in, he goes all in,” Randolph continued, and Dawson immediately enlisted the aid of his famous friend, Mark Farner.
Club Phred will join Mark Farner at the Marshall Steam Museum.
“We’re incredibly honored that Club Phred and Mark Farner will help us raise funds and awareness in support of our mission,” Randolph stated. “Our Steamin’ Events continue to grow in popularity, attracting families with small children, but this concert offers us the chance to introduce our historic treasures and phenomenal site to a new and more mature audience.”
The Farner/Phred benefit concert will take place Saturday, July 23 (rain date July 24); admission is $25 in advance ($20 for members) or $30 at the gate for everyone. Advance tickets are non-refundable, but all proceeds support the museum’s mission, focusing on educating the public firsthand about an American way of life that flourished at the dawn of the automotive age and preserving historic steam technology.
Tickets may be purchased online at auburnheights.org or by contacting the F.A.H.P. office at (302) 239-2385, admin@AuburnHeights.org.
See auburnheights.org for up-to-date details on the organization and its collection and programs.
