Photo by Eric Keith / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo

Clouds and rain couldn’t dampen Dorothy Hook’s spirit at ‘Music in the Park’ Friday afternoon as she rocked out to Jamazon Cloud with Margaret Maples.

Six months of planning for an outdoor festival often includes crossed fingers when the possibility of rain factors into the equation. But apparently not all fingers were crossed.

Just before the St. Joseph Music Foundation’s “Music in the Park” was to kick-in Friday at Coleman Hawkins Park at the Felix Street Square, soundmen rushed to cover speakers with plastic as another wave of light rain passed through. But the show went on.

Jamazon Cloud was well into their rock/blues/funk set as more and more people trickled in with umbrellas at the ready.

Larry Schildtknecht, president of the foundation, had done everything he could do by the start of the event at noon and was at the mercy of an impending storm front. He’d gathered an array of local bands, including Britt Small from Festival, 10 Until Midnyte, The Act, Midnight Express, Amenezar Thrush, and the Randy McKnight Band with the hope of raising money for the foundation.

“The hardest part is (finding) volunteers,” Mr. Schildtknecht said. “It’s hard for everybody to get off their normal jobs and volunteer to do this.”

The foundation, which operates an Internet radio station that broadcasted the performances Friday, hosts seminars on music education and “tries to improve live entertainment” in St. Joseph, Mr. Schildtknecht said. He said the foundation also works for the music enthusiast, not just the players.

“Hopefully we’ll raise enough money to fund the radio station to the next level,” Mr. Schildtknecht said of Friday’s event.

The foundation raffled off family fireworks packages and did a 50/50 raffle where the winner splits a cash pot with the foundation.

Cameron Rayevich, 16, accompanied his friends Friday afternoon to the event. He hoped to spend Independence Day swimming “in the river” and shooting fireworks. But Friday his goal was to remain dry.

“The last time we were supposed to go (watch his uncle’s band) it was raining and didn’t happen,” he said, holding out for Friday’s weather to stay dry long enough to catch at least a couple songs.

Jessica Schellhorn, 14, was just tagging along with the same group Friday. She was excited to “blow stuff up” today, she said referring to setting off fireworks.

The foundation will rebroadcast sections of Friday’s performances (pending the quality of the recording) on its Web site at www.stjosephmusicfoundation.org.

Jimmy Myers can be reached

at jimmym@npgco.com.