summerfest 2022 concert

In a grand finale to the college’s year-long celebration of its 95th anniversary, San Bernardino Valley College, in partnership with the San Bernardino Symphony, held its first-ever SummerFest on July 2, 2022. The event served as a fitting conclusion to an exciting Spring 2022 semester, which had featured the first in-person Commencement ceremony since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, and as a special treat for the campus and surrounding community.

Spearheaded by SBCCD board clerk Dr. Anne L. Viricel, who serves as the executive director of the celebrated San Bernardino Symphony, and SBVC’s interim president Dr. Scott W. Thayer, the event was built around the symphony’s annual summer concert series. In addition to bringing the symphony’s sizable regular audience to the college campus, it showcased the campus to the community during the start of the summer season in a way that had never been done before. Over 2,500 visitors streamed in to SBVC’s stadium for fun, food, fireworks and the live Independence Day-themed concert by the San Bernardino Symphony. Conducted by Maestro Anthony Parnther, the concert featured vocalists Laura Dickinson and Ashley Faatoalia and concluded with a synchronized fireworks show that lit up the night sky above the Stadium. In addition to food and games, visitors were provided with information about enrollment and registration throughout the event, with Blue the Wolverine making a special appearance to encourage prospective students to enroll.

summerfest vendors

“What an honor to partner with the San Bernardino Symphony in such a historic way to showcase our campus to our students, employees and community,” said Dr. Thayer. “Everything about this event was monumental: from the musical selections, to the fireworks display, to the location inside our state-of-the-art Stadium. I cannot think of a more fitting way to commemorate our college’s 95th year of service to the greater San Bernardino Valley. We are absolutely thrilled with the level of interest and positive feedback we received from attendees and hope that SummerFest becomes a permanent tradition on our campus for many years to come.”