Monsters, Music, & Memories: Halloween Kickoff Concert 2025
The first truly cold, rainy day of fall showed up right on schedule - just in time for our annual Halloween Kickoff Concert.
We had been spoiled this season. Michigan had given us an unusually warm autumn… right up until Tuesday. Of course, that was the night we’d planned our concert at the Cascades Bandshell - because, as it turns out, the first Tuesday in October has its own sense of humor. Every year we plan it, and every year, the weather seems to test our flexibility.
So once again, we pivoted indoors. (See the full album of photos on facebook here.)
Thanks to the kindness and partnership of Jackson First United Methodist Church, we had a warm, welcoming home waiting for us.
Their staff, safety team, and grounds crew were already prepared - because they keep our concerts on their calendar “just in case.” That kind of generosity and thoughtfulness is what makes community music possible.
Inside Fellowship Hall, the room filled quickly: kids, parents, grandparents, caregivers, church members, and friends. What could have felt like a washout instead became one of those perfectly imperfect nights that reminds us why we do this work.
The Costumes, The Chaos, and The Joy.
There’s something magical about watching a room full of children in costumes run toward music. We had Disney princesses, Bluey, bumblebees, witches, pumpkins, Spiderman, ninjas - you name it. Each child a little piece of Halloween magic, spinning and singing and pretending.
The Harmony Gardeners love to dress up too. In past years, we’ve been Inside Out 2 characters, Peter Pan and friends - but this year, we went for something familiar to the kids: well-known characters from their favorite shows - Ms. Rachel, Blippi, Steve, Blue, and Magenta.
We sang, we danced, we had a bubble parade, and we even gave away candy while performing our very own version of “I Want Candy” (yes, the Bow Wow Wow classic - just updated with kid-friendly lyrics). Kids made monster masks, then transformed into silly, dancing creatures for Laurie Berkner’s “Monster Boogie.”
We closed the night by singing the storybook “Shy Little Monster” by fellow music therapist Stephanie Leavell, MT-BC - a perfect wind down ending for a night filled with laughter, music, candy, and play.
Every single concert we play is a chance to make memories - with you. You keep us motivated!
We love sharing in your children’s childhoods: watching them try something new, answer a question on a microphone, join the band for a song, or just dance without a plan. These little moments are where confidence, creativity, and connection are born.
It also moves us when we see parents join in. When moms and dads dance, sing, or get silly with their kids, something powerful happens. Childhood suddenly feels safe - alive with wonder - and that shared play becomes the soundtrack to a family’s story.
Music, Memory, and the Moments That Last. Research shows what we already feel deep down: Music helps our brains store memories more vividly.
When children experience joy, safety, and connection through music, those neural pathways light up in ways that last. It’s why a song from childhood can bring us right back to a place, a smell, a feeling - years or decades later.
That’s what we’re building, one concert at a time. We’re helping plant those early seeds of musical memory - songs that will take root, grow deep, and come rushing back someday when your now-four-year-old hears “We’re the Harmony Gardeners…” as an adult.
That’s the gift of music. It stamps time with meaning.
Looking Ahead…
We still have a few final performances this year - the Harmony Hoedown on October 18th and our pre-show for the Jackson Christmas Parade in November, both at Jackson First United Methodist Church. After that, we’ll rest for the winter, dream up new songs, and plan for next summer’s series.
Our deepest gratitude goes to every family who’s danced, clapped, or kazoo’d along with us this year - and to the JFUMC community for always opening their doors and hearts when the weather doesn’t cooperate. Your mission says it best: “Welcome Home. We are an inclusive, intergenerational community of faith who love God with our hearts, hands, and voices.”
Thank you for making us part of that mission. We’re so grateful to call this village our home.
Jaime & The Harmony Gardeners
