Concerts are great for many reasons. There’s live entertainment, hundreds of strangers singing together and even food to enjoy. Yet when you have little ones, it can be challenging to find the proper performance to attend.
Baltimore resident Sam Sessa recognized this dilemma in his own city in the winter of 2017, while trying to find experiences he could share with his wife and kids that didn’t take place in the middle of a workweek or in the evening.
“After taking my kids to baby story time at the library one day, I realized there are a bunch of other young parents who want to take their kids to concerts but don’t have many options,” says Sessa. “That’s how I came up with the idea for Saturday Morning Tunes.”
At the time, Sessa was working part time with NPR affiliate music station, 89.7 WTMD, and pitched the idea. Today, Saturday Morning Tunes is a monthly concert series attracting thousands of families and kids to venues throughout Baltimore for live music of all styles, including Grateful Dead for Kids and Grammy-winning musician Dan Zanes, who will take the stage in February and March, respectively.
Plus, Sessa’s position has become consistent too, as he’s now the music and media relations coordinator at WTMD.
The station is continuing to grow the series, and it’s expanding into the District this month on Saturday, Feb. 22, presenting its rendition of Frozen: Live in Concert. The stars of the show are Britt Olsen-Ecker and Melissa Wimbish, who are classically trained opera singers, regularly performing with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
According to Sessa, the show presents the classic Frozen songs everyone’s heard over and over again in a “way that’s fun for parents,” and, of course, recognizable and entertaining for the kiddos. There will also be organic snacks available, as well as the opportunity for kids to meet Anna and Elsa following the show.
While this month’s performance will be WTMD’s debut of Saturday Morning Tunes in DC, Sessa has plans to host more varying shows in the region this year, and also expand to the Midwest this summer.
“I kind of fell backward into this idea of producing concerts for families,” says Sessa. “But it’s become one of the most successful and heartwarming things I’ve ever done.”
For tickets to this month’s show taking place at Miracle Theater, click here. // Miracle Theater: 535 Eighth St. SE, Washington, DC; $14-$59
To be the first to know about family-friendly events coming to the region, subscribe to our weekly e-newsletters.
