[slideshow_deploy id=’1388′]Beaver Dam Jam 2014 marks the event’s 7 year in existence and from day one in 2008, the Jam continues to gain popularity each year, according to Linda Geer, who has attended every year of the Beaver Dam Jam. Geer commented that she had worked inside the Beaver Dam Store during most of the Jam this year but said, “It’s getting bigger and better each and every year and it certainly appears from the sound and looks of things that everybody is having a great time.”
The Beaver Dam Jam began 7 years ago to help raise money to build a football field at the Beaver Dam High School and has successfully contributed hundreds of dollars to the Beaver Dam Schools each year since its inaugural Jam in 2008.
The biggest draw to the Jam each year, according to almost everyone in the crowd, is by far the three day line-up of local bands that come to entertain the masses. Temperatures during the last weekend of May have been in triple digits in years gone by but this year’s thermometer reflected slightly more manageable numbers so jammers were able to sit back and chill under the awning while they listened to some Old Time Rock-N-Roll along with other genres of music.
One of the Jam’s favorite entertainers is Joe Sherman who has performed at the Beaver Dam Jam for the past 5 years. Sherman holds a very prestigious spot in the line-up; he opens the show on Friday at 3 p.m. and is also the opening performer on Sunday, the last day of the Jam.
“I really love playing for the Jam, it’s a lot of fun,” Sherman said. He got his performing start from Evans when he was 14 years-old and just barely learning to play guitar. Evans approached the young musician and asked him if he would like to participate and Sherman jumped at the opportunity to fulfill his life-long dream and has played at the Jam every year since.
Evans, the owner of the Beaver Dam Station, is a regular guy who just likes to have fun and help his community. Evans admittedly sponsors many of the Beaver Dam Station activities to give the community something to do for fun; it’s a perk to him that the community benefits financially as well; especially the schools and the kids.
The football field was a great opportunity for the kids’ advancement, according to Evans. “Playing football or any sport builds teamwork, enhances the relationships between the teammates, teaches rules and discipline and gives the kids something to productively occupy their time,” and in Evans’ mind, “it’s all worth the efforts.”
This year, Evans contributes the growth of the Jam to his secretary, Bonnie Rowley, who set up a website for the jam this year. The website reached out to more people and brought visitors from as far away as New York. Most of the out of town visitors come from Mesquite, Salt Lake City and La Verkin, Utah.
The Browns, who are from La Verkin, said they came out to listen to the music of course, but they also loved watching the lawn mower races. Both Sandra and Steven Brown said, “This is our first time here at the Jam; we love the music but we really enjoyed watching Jeremiah Sherman kick butt on the lawnmower racing track. That was a lot of fun!”
According to the new website, “The Beaver Dam Jam began as Bill Evans’ life-long dream to create interest in the local music scene.” As the Jam continues to grow, so does the dream.
Presently the Beaver Dam Jam is the longest running music festival in the Tri-State area and thanks to the efforts of Evans, Rowley, Geer and the rest of the Beaver Dam gang, the Beaver Dam Jam will continue to grow and entertain the masses for many years to come.
