The annual Ames Municipal Band concerts will continue this summer on Iowa State’s Central Campus, because of ongoing renovations to the traditional location at Bandshell Park.

Mike King, Ames auditorium and activities supervisor, said this is the first year the band has had its entire season outside the park, located at 125 E. 5th St.

King said he hopes moving the concerts to the ISU campus will help bring the community together, despite breaking the tradition of the band playing downtown.

“There’s no other place like Bandshell Park where we could move the concerts to and stay downtown,” King said. “We’ve heard back from a few people that they’re disappointed the concerts won’t be downtown, but we hope it will attract some ISU students and other people that may not have gone to see the concerts otherwise.”

Michael Golemo, director of the Ames Municipal Band and associate professor of music, said Central Campus was a popular suggestion as a possible substitute location.

“Every time we talked about Central Campus, everyone’s eyes lit up and they said that’d be spectacular,” he said.

Another motivation for moving the concerts to an ISU location is a performance by opera star Simon Estes, scheduled for June 23.

King said more than 3,800 people attended last year’s concert with Simon Estes.

The concerts will be free to the public and will take place every Thursday, starting June 9 and ending July 28.