Cue the symphony and pass the Cheerwine.
Beneath mostly clear skies and with temperatures expected to be around 80 degrees, Salisbury Symphony conductor David Hagy will take the rostrum this evening and lead the orchestra into the ninth Pops at the Post concert.
The free concert starts at 8 p.m. on the loading dock at the Salisbury Post, in the 100 block of South Church Street.
First staged in 2005 as a one-time event to celebrate the Salisbury Post’s centennial, Pops at the Post is becoming a tradition owned by the entire community. Last year, it began operating as a nonprofit, and during intermission organizers will “pass the hat” to help support it.
The concert will open this evening, as always, with the “Star-Spangled Banner.” The program is always different, and this year’s highlights include a Beatles hits medley and a “Les Miserables” symphonic suite.
The Pops concert lasts about two hours, but the fun starts earlier.
Vendors will be set up along Fisher Street by 4 p.m. They’ll be selling food from hot dogs to ice cream and serving drinks including free Cheerwine.
Tailgating is allowed in designated spaces. About 40 of those spaces were set aside as reserved. The others will be available beginning at 1 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis in the Post employee and First Bank parking lots. Those lots will close by 7 p.m. or as soon as they’re full.
And the Salisbury Swing Band will warm up the crowd, playing 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the corner of the First Bank lot just off West Innes Street.
Remember, no alcohol or pets allowed at the concert.