VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Music in the Park will feature Valley City’s own talented family band, “Oakland Grove.” On Wednesday, July 16.
They will perform at 7:15 p.m. at the City Park Bandshell, offering music for young and old alike. As an additional treat to the evening, Bumpa’s Ice Cream will be in the park starting at 6:30 pm. There will be free
ice cream for first 125 people provided by Bumpa’s and the Bridges Arts Council. Other ice cream treats will
be available for sale.
Known for its broad and eclectic rock and country repertoire, Oakland Grove is a fun, family-friendly variety
cover band that plays something for every generation. Their unique mix of Classic Rock, old and new Country,
Blues, and Rock’n’Roll includes some of the best and most popular songs recorded from 1948 until today.
Percussionist John Oakland has been singing and playing drums with his parents since the age of seven. John
will be a freshman at Valley City Public School in the Fall. When he is not on stage, he enjoys robotics, grand-
scale Lego builds, and model railroading.
Guitarist Dave Oakland began his musical career at the age of twelve in the Cando area, with high school bands the Squires and the Honest Truth. For four decades, he traveled the tri-state region with bands Lone Tree, Clockwork, Deliverance, and his longest-tenured group, FIRE. Alongside his primary career as a professional musician, Dave repaired audio and stereo equipment for many years at Don’s Stereo in Grand Forks, before moving to Valley City in 2014.
Keyboardist Maggie (Gassmann) Oakland, originally from rural Valley City, joined Dave in FIRE in 2004. The
couple married in 2006 and welcomed their son John in 2011. Outside of her music, Maggie has built many
connections in the community of Valley City as a program director for the Open Door Center, a guardianship
worker for Lighthouse Associates, and as a licensed professional clinical counselor.
Bring your family and enjoy the evening with neighbors & friends! A freewill offering is taken for the continued support of the City Park Bandshell and Music in the Park. In case of inclement weather, programs will be moved to VCSU Robinson Center for the Arts.
Special thanks to the 2025 sponsors who help make Music in the Park possible like First Community
Credit Union, Valley City Parks & Recreation, KLJ, Eagles Aerie 2192, KOVC Radio, NewsDakota.com, Moore Engineering, Inc., Valley City Tourism, Grotberg Electric, Dacotah Bank, Valley City Times-Record, and the North Dakota Council on the Arts.