Proudly Sponsored by:
Gold Concert Sponsor
Paul W. & Rose Suchovsky Charitable Trust
Supporting Sponsor
This concert has moved indoors to the Mendel Center Jenkins Theatre in Benton Harbor. See below for more information.
A SALUTE TO AMERICA
FRI. JULY 3, 2026 | 8:30 PM
Join us for the SMSO’s annual tribute to America and its steadfast strength with a mixture of patriotic favorites, film scores, and iconic American works. The 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky synchronized to an outstanding fireworks display ends this spectacular celebration!
Enhance your event experience by stopping by the instrument petting zoo station for kids, provided courtesy of the Citadel Dance & Music Center.
Food trucks and a Bar Tent will be onsite for this event to provide a variety of snacks, meals, and refreshments available for purchase. Food trucks this year: La Chula, Ben’s Soft Pretzels, Lost Coast Shave Ice, and Wood, Stock, & Grill.
EVENT LOCATION
Shadowland Pavilion on Silver Beach
Rain Location*
LMC Mendel Center Jenkins Theatre
1100 Yore Ave, Benton Harbor, MI 49022
(Scroll down to view “What to Expect In Case of Inclement Weather”)
*Determination for relocation due to inclement weather will be posted by 12:00pm EST day of the concert.
EVENT PARTNER
Citadel Dance & Music Center
TICKETS
Single Tickets on Sale MAY 1
Zone A Reserved Seating
$42.00 per seat – no longer available
Zone B Lawn Seating
$31.50 Adult | $10.50 Youth ages 6-17 years
Table for 8* $386 – no longer available
*Includes up to two (2) VIP Parking Passes; Limited availability.
Discounts Available for Lawn Seating:
Child Under 5 | Group
CALL Box Office to order
Shadowland Pavilion on Silver Beach
101 Broad St,
St. Joseph, MI 49085
EVENT SCHEDULE
7:30 PM – Gates open
8:30 PM – Concert
10:00 PM – Finale to fireworks
Program Schedule
| Composer | Composition Title |
| John Stafford Smith | Star Spangled Banner |
| Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn (arr. Jeff Tyzik) | The Essential Ellington |
| Schwartz & Rickets | Highlights from Wicked |
| Rodgers & Hammerstein | Selections from Carousel |
| INTERMISSION | |
| Morton Gould | American Salute |
| Samuel Ward (arr. Carmen Dragon) | America the Beautiful |
| Aaron Copland | Hoe Down |
| Bob Lowden | Armed Forces Salute |
| Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | 1812 Overture |
| John Philip Sousa | Liberty Bell March |
| John Philip Sousa | Semper Fidelis |
| John Philip Sousa | Stars and Stripes Forever |
WHAT TO EXPECT IN CASE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER
Notice to move indoors will be posted our website at SMSO.org and on social media pages
no later than 12:00 PM EST the day of on Fri. July 3.
Outdoor Festival or Indoor Comfort… The Music Continues!
Just like you, we’re watching the forecast to help us prepare and know what to expect. What you CAN count on is fabulous music fit for our Country’s 250th Celebration, whether we perform outdoors at the Shadowland Pavilion as planned or move indoors to LMC Mendel Center due to inclement weather.
Whether outdoors or indoors, both experiences include:
🎺Instrument Petting Zoo, courtesy of Citadel Dance & Music Center
🌭 Food & Drinks from local Food Truck Vendors + onsite bar option
🎵Fabulous Music Lineup
We hope the information below will ensure a fabulous concert experience for you and yours!
OUTDOOR FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE
Shadowland Pavilion at Silver Beach
101 Broad Street, St. Joseph, MI 49085
☀️ Open air outdoors at the Beach
🌿 Open seating on grassy lawn area
🍧 Food & beverage options from 4 food truck vendors
🍺Bar Tent offering beer & wine for ID’d guests
🎆 Fireworks Finale
A large crowd and fireworks show means this event is not dog-friendly. Please make arrangements for your fur baby to stay at home.
Table Tickets: Tables seat up to 8 guests and will receive up to two (2) VIP Parking passes via email. Tables will be reserved with your party’s name clearly posted.
Chair Tickets: Have a folding chair waiting for you on-site. Our reserved chair seating area is open seating, first come, first serve. Please be mindful of spacing between parties as our chair seating typically SELLS OUT!
Lawn Tickets: Bring your own blankets and/or lawn chairs and pick a spot on the expansive grassy lawn in front of the pavilion stage.
By park rules, no coolers or carry-ins are permitted, so we arranged a great line-up of food trucks to enjoy!
Ben’s Soft Pretzels 💵 Cash | 💳 Card
La Chula Mexican Food 💵 Cash | 💳 Card
Lost Coast Shave Ice 💵 Cash | 💳 Card
Wood, Stock, and Grill 💵 Cash Only
—and enjoy a Bar Tent on-site!
Adult guests age 21+ must be ID’d to receive a bracelet in order to purchase drink tickets.
Drink tickets are $6 each; exchange is 1 ticket = 1 drink.
VIP Vehicle Passes assigned to Table reservations guarantee parking inside the fenced North Fisherman Lot adjacent to event area. Please note that vehicles will still be subject to County Parks entry fee to access the Silver Beach parking lot.
Information about Silver Beach Park & Beach Parking is available here.
Information about additional paid & free parking in downtown St. Joseph is available here.
COOL & COMFORTABLE INDOOR CELEBRATION
LMC Mendel Center Jenkins Theatre
1100 Yore Ave, Benton Harbor
☔ Indoor protection from extreme heat or bad weather
❄️ Comfortable air-conditioned seating
🥨 Food Truck fare pre-concert and intermission
🍷 Hosted bar offering beer & wine for ID’d guests
🚙 Free, close proximity parking for all
Please note that an indoor relocation would mean a fireworks display experience would not be part of our concert finale. (Doggies still need to remain at home!)
Table Tickets: Reserved seating in Zone A (includes additional lawn ticket guests part of your group!)
Chair Tickets: Designated open seating in Zone A.
Lawn Tickets: Open seating among remaining undesignated areas (Zone A & B).
Open seating is first come, first serve. Please be mindful of spacing between groups parties to ensure adequate seating for all guests.
Balcony not available for seating this concert.
A Hospitality Area complete with tables and seating to enjoy refreshments pre-concert and during an extended intermission will be set up in the lower South Lobby and just outside the Hanson Theatre.
Enjoy tasty savory & sweet food items and non-alcoholic beverages from Ben’s Soft Pretzels, with the possibility of a second food truck joining us to serve additional options.
A Hosted Bar will be available in the lower South Lobby to serve 6 oz pours to ID’d adult guests age 21+. Donations appreciated!
At LMC Mendel Center, all guests will enjoy free and ample parking in close proximity!
Parking is available in the Mendel Center’s main parking area, Lot 2, accessible from Yore Avenue and marked with clear roadside “Lot 2” signage.
Should the concert move indoors, please note that VIP Vehicle Passes assigned to Table reservations will be considered void to Silver Beach Park, and cannot be used to guarantee entry to Silver Beach parking.
WEATHER & VENUE UPDATES
Our goal is always to present “A Salute to America” outdoors at Silver Beach. However, if temperatures are forecast to exceed 90°F during rehearsal or performance times, or if there is a significant risk of thunderstorms, lightning, or heavy precipitation, the concert will be moved indoors.
Please note that the Southwest Michigan Symphony and the City of St. Joseph make independent weather-related decisions. Therefore, a concert relocation does not necessarily mean the fireworks display will be canceled or postponed.
These decisions prioritize the safety and comfort of our audience, musicians, staff, and crew. Because outdoor orchestral productions require extensive advance setup, venue decisions may be made before weather conditions are fully realized to ensure the concert can proceed on time and without interruption.
Thank You Program Supporters!
