Mon Aquatorium in tenth season of riverside concerts
Courtesy of the Mon Valley Alliance
This photo taken at the Monongahela Aquatorium by Ronald W. Pudlowski of Charleroi was the third-place winner in the the Mon Valley Alliance’s recent photo contest.
Scott Beveridge / Observer-Reporter
This file photo shows the then-recently renovated Noble J. Dick Aquatorium in Monongahela
Photo courtesy of Ron Pudlowski
The Clarks rock the stage at the aquatorium in this file photo
Photo courtesy of Terry Sebben
A file photo of Monongahela’s Noble J. Dick Aquatorium
Courtesy of Monongahela Aquatorium
A file photo of the Monongahela Aquatorium
Scott Beveridge/Observer-Reporter
A file photo of thw welcome center at Noble J. Dick Aquatorium in Monongahela
On July 2, the Monongahela Aquatorium kicked off its 2022 summer concert season with Rhyme & Reason, featuring Lee Alverson as Elton John. The opener marked the 10th year of concerts at the 3,700 bleacher seat outdoor amphitheater.
While the season schedule once featured as many as 13 bands in the summer series, this year, eight acts will take to the stage through August 20, when John Fish and BowieLive finish the season.
“We had only four concerts last year because we were just coming out of COVID and planned a small series to test the waters,” said Tanya Chaney, president of the Aquatorium Innovation board and owner of the Salon and Spa by Tanya’s Natural in Monongahela.
Each year, the board of directors selects the bands based on what audiences have liked in the past, plus some new bands that have never played the Aquatorium stage.
“I personally prefer local bands that have a national following,” Chaney said. For example, she cites Commonheart, whose July 23 performance will feature lead singer Clinton Clegg of Monongahela.
“When choosing our bands, it’s a calculated risk as to whether they’ll fill our venue or not,” Chaney added.
The board tries to vary the musical genre and add musical variety to each series. According to Chaney, roughly half the bands chosen have played the Aquatorium before. Usually, the season is also heavy with tribute bands like this year’s bands that feature the sounds of Fleetwood Mack, David Bowie, Tom Petty, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Elton John.
The doors to each concert open at 6 p.m., with the mainstage performance beginning at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $10, with parking available in nearby lots and on the street.
Patrons are not permitted to bring in their own food or beverages in an effort to support the vendors who set up for the concerts. This year’s food purveyors include Wooden Peel Pizza of New Eagle and Hog Fathers BBQ, with other snack and novelty vendors adding range and diversity to the available options.
To quench the thirst of patrons, the Aquatorium sells natural brand wine by the glass, draft beer (Yuengling, Miller Lite, Stony Premium and Summer Shandy). There’s also a specialty cocktail called Sex on the Lawn, a fruity drink mixed with spiced rum and peach schnapps. White Claw seltzers and Mike’s Hard Lemonade, both alcoholic beverages, are also available.
The Aquatorium is staging two additional events this year. Making its first-year debut on September 17, the Street Food Fest will bring in a variety of food trucks along with live music. There is no admission cover charge.
The very popular Witch Fest on October 29 coincides with the Halloween season and features specialty vendors and live music.
“The Witch Fest pulls in both locals as well as people and vendors from out-of-state, and, again, there is no admission fee,” Chaney said.
For all the events, boaters may dock on the wharf on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Aquatorium is also available for group rentals and events. To see the complete listing of concerts, go to monaquatorium.org/concert_schedule.
The Aquatorium was the brainstorm of Frank Irey, who had a relatively new construction company that was taking off at the time. Completed in 1969, the venue was a focal point of the huge “bicentennial” event for the Monongahela area, organized by the Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce.
The facility was rehabilitated around 1988, which included the addition of trees. Completely redesigned in 2008 to 2010, the Aquatorium saw the addition of the curving path, colored pavement, bleacher seats that were fiberglass instead of wood, a new kitchen and restrooms building, a rose garden, and a black fence on the railroad side, which made it possible to serve alcohol.
“The Aquatorium is a public park and, during the day in season, it’s a gathering spot for people to have lunch or fish on the dock,” Chaney said. “It’s a very utilized resource.”