Summernight festival returns

Better Than Ezra will headline downtown bash

The 1990s alternative rock band Better Than Ezra will headline this year’s installment of Summernight, Schenectady officials said on Thursday.

The popular block party will return to downtown Schenectady in July after a two-year hiatus prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Grammy-nominated band, known for the 1995 hit single “Good,” is

the latest in a string of 1990s-era alternative and roots rock hit-makers to headline the annual event, including Smash Mouth, Spin Doctors and Blues

Traveler.

The event typically draws thousands to downtown every summer, said officials, who said the bash will serve as a balm to businesses who saw their foot traffic depleted during the global health crisis.

“It means so much to the downtown business community,” said Jim Salengo, executive director of the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation.

The county-organized event, dubbed the Capital Region’s biggest block party, was last held in 2019 before the pandemic forced officials to cancel the bash two years running.

It marks just one of several high-profile attractions to touch down in the Electric City this summer, joining “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” the roaming exhibit that organizers hope will draw as many as 50,000 visitors during its summer run, which is expected to wind down in August.

Summernight 2022 is slated for July 22 from 5 to 10 p.m. The party will feature live music on two stages, games and food. It will be topped off by fireworks sponsored by Price Chopper/market 32. A sand sculpture sponsored by Sunmark FCU will be created on-site in the MVP Health Care Kids Zone.

Additional sponsors include Rivers Casino & Resort, Best Fitness and Saratoga Eagle in partnership with the city of Schenectady.

Cheryl Gerber / Invision for Hard Rock International Famed rock group Better Than Ezra takes the stage at the Grand Opening of Hard Rock Cafe New Orleans in 2013, in New Orleans.