DOWNEY – The Downey Symphony Orchestra, along with several other Downey organizations, have scheduled several activities in conjunction with the upcoming concert set to celebrate the city’s 60 anniversary and space heritage. 

The concert is scheduled for Oct. 22 at the Downey Theatre, with several other events throughout the week leading to the symphonic performance. 

According to Don Marshall, vice president of the Downey Symphonic Society, the idea for the event came from the desire of the Downey Symphony Orchestra’s conductor to perform Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite called The Planets. 

Due to the theme of the orchestral suite and Downey’s highly revered space heritage, Marshall says that the decision was made to make the concert, along with other related activities, a part of the ongoing 60th year anniversary celebration for the city.

The organizations involved include the Columbia Memorial Space Center, Downey Art Coalition, Aerospace Legacy Foundation, Glennfest Film Festival, the City of Downey “Stardust Art Festival,” and Poetry Matters.

The events leading up to the concert are free and open to all. They include family activities, film presentations, art shows, and a poetry reading. In addition to Holt’s The Planets, the concert will also include the world premiere of Suite for Orchestra, which was composed by Downey composer Lars Clutterham. 

The events being put on are supported in part by a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, which the symphonic society was invited to apply for shortly after they began planning. 

For more information, please visit downeyarts.org, glennfest.com, or downeysymphony.org.