Summer Sounds At Arnolds Park Amusement Park
The bass is booming, the lights are flashing and young and old are loving a Saturday night in Arnolds Park. No matter the musical genre, Preservation Plaza is often the hotspot on any given summer weekend. Whether it’s Thursday night at the Roof Garden or a Saturday Live at the Lake Concert, bands travel from across the United States to share their musical gifts with the Iowa Great Lakes area.
“Our goal for our summer Live at the Lake Concert Series is to offer a diverse range of music genres, catering to all tastes through both the free Saturday night concerts and the premium ticketed performances,” said Chris Swanson, Arnolds Park Amusement Park’s Marketing Director. “We aim to bring top-tier entertainment to Arnolds Park Amusement Park, allowing everyone to experience the vibrant energy and charm of our area.”
With 30 concerts planned across 100 days of summer, spanning both the Roof Garden Ballroom and Preservation Plaza, the sounds of Arnolds Park draw in guests for another season.
A Behind the Scenes Look
Behind each concert, Arnolds Park Amusement Park’s Concert and Production Manager Tyler Lowe leads a talented production crew “Behind the Scenes” for the benefit of every music lover. They start preparation for the summer concert series over a year in advance, working with artists year-round to develop relationships and coordinate details.
“We're already working on 2026. The really neat thing is people are calling us because they want to be at Arnolds Park – we have such a unique environment,” Lowe shared. “It’s an awesome dynamic that they call us! Where else do you get to finish your musical set and then sit on the side of the stage and watch fireworks over West Lake Okoboji. Bands love playing at Arnolds Park!”
Lowe said he has enjoyed helping plan future concert series, branching out to new genres and acts.
“We want to try to bring in new things and widen the audience,” he added.
Lowe moved to Northwest Iowa from California in July 2021, accepting a job as Technical Director at CrossWinds Church in Spirit Lake. He also started Sunrock AVL Productions and began overseeing productions at Arnolds Park in the summer of 2022. He became full-time at Arnolds Park in February 2024.
“I started helping with production tasks and ideas when I was 14 with my youth group’s worship band and found I really enjoyed it and was good at it,” Lowe said.
From there, he continued hands-on training through multiple opportunities at his church in Fresno and at Fresno Pacific University. “God called me to be in Iowa and He continues to open doors and provide opportunities for me to grow career wise,” he added. “I really enjoy the relationships I’ve gained with artists and contractors throughout the region.”
While the Roof Garden is set up for concerts year-round, mid-May is when Lowe and his crew begin outfitting the stage at Preservation Plaza with lights and speakers for the summer. The speakers are tarped when not in use, saving them four hours of set up each week. The rest of the gear is stored nearby and brought out on concert day.
Concert Day
Every concert at Arnolds Park Amusement Park is directed by a group of talented local professionals that oversee the particular band’s visuals and sound. Work begins at 10 a.m. on performance day, setting up for that day’s arrival of drums, amps and keyboards, as certain equipment is brought in each week from a backline company.
The day’s main band arrives in Arnolds Park around 1 p.m. and is welcomed by Arnolds Park’s Hospitality crew, before stepping onto the stage for the 2 p.m. sound check. The hour-long session works through any difficulties and helps the production crew prepare for the night ahead. By 4:30 p.m., the supporting act runs through their session, before the production crew takes a mini break.
“We work to get the monitors producing the right tone for their style of music and help the band become familiar with the stage,” Lowe said. “We go through sound checks and lighting as well.”
There are usually eight stagehands on a given night; Lowe prefers to hire local when he can. Several audio and lighting technicians often come from Des Moines or the Twin Cities.
One lighting technician is Will Crane of Spencer, who is studying to be a civil engineer at Iowa State University and often runs house lights or lights for the show. Before the concert, he learns where the particular band wants lighting cues and incorporates the lights into the sets. He said some bands provide little lighting guidelines and he has free rein, while a band like Smashmouth has specific instructions.
“I really enjoy the ownership of the lights at a concert,” Crane explained. “I enjoy music and being able to incorporate the lighting into the music, makes it a lot of fun. I enjoy it and get to share that with the audience.”
Jon Sullivan is entering his 19th year of helping at concerts at Arnolds Park and Lowe appreciates his expertise and wisdom.
“Jon mentors many of the younger stagehands and keeps everyone in check,” Lowe said.
Growing up attending concerts at the Roof Garden, Sullivan has worked on stages across the country and especially appreciates Preservation Plaza.
“I’ve worked on all kinds of stages, and we have such a great facility. We continue to get bigger shows which makes the concerts at Arnolds Park even more fun,” Sullivan shared. “It is just so fun to see all the people having a good time and enjoying good music – one of my favorites is the Dustin Lynch concert.”
At 7:30 p.m., the opening band steps on the stage for a 45-minute set. Lawn chairs begin filling the grass and few parking spots remain. At 8:15, the production crew moves into high gear for the changeover to the night’s headliner. At about 8:45 p.m., the main band takes the stage and Preservation Plaza really starts hopping.
“We’ve been working hard to get a variety of artists that share different types of music, whether it’s for the Live at the Lake concerts or the Premium ticketed concerts,” Lowe said. “Every night is different and one of my favorite things about live music is being backstage and feeling the energy of the band and the crowd. You are mixing the monitors and seeing the emotions in the audience – there are moments that give you goosebumps.”
Another area Lowe oversees is lining up catering, transportation and hotels for the bands and their families. Lowe said Events Manager Nicole Meyer and her hospitality staff do a wonderful job providing support to the bands, allowing him to focus on the stage.
“Nicole’s team is amazing. She comes in and supports the bands and helps them feel Okoboji welcome and why so many bands want to come back to Arnolds Park,” he shared. “I also appreciate the marketing team – we all work together to create a great experience for the bands and this community.”
The beautiful outdoor venue is enjoyable but can cause nerve-wracking moments if weather comes into play. Two years ago, they had to move the Steven Curtis Chapman concert into the Roof Garden, filling it to the brim. A large, weather-proof screen was donated for the night and countless fans watched in the rain and from underneath the overhang along Queens Court.
“Weather can play a huge challenge because you wonder what to do when it rains. We always play it by ear, think on our toes and adapt to the weather,” Lowe said. “We try to not cancel a show.”
After the concert and fireworks are over, the production crew immediately steps into tear down mode. This can take multiple hours, but the time moves quickly as they all have their roles and work well together.
During weeks where there are multiple concerts, there aren’t a lot of free hours for Lowe and his team, but they appreciate being a part of Okoboji music and being a part of a little slice of heaven.
“There’s so much rich music history in this area and you are amazed at the high-level musicians who have shared their gifts here year after year,” he said. “I’m grateful I get to help continue the musical tradition of Arnolds Park for another season.”
Don’t miss out! Saturday, May 31 is Rock a la Carte!
