Jack Kulp has seen his project turn into something special over the course of 13 years.

The Tamaqua Chamber of Commerce Summer Concert Series has transformed from simply an idea during a 2006 brainstorming session, into an essential part of the summer for Tamaqua residents. Due to persistence and a ton of hard work, Jack Kulp, chairman of the series, has made music in Depot Park at the Tamaqua Train Station a big part of many lives.

“In 2006, I had just moved to Tamaqua,” Kulp said. “Back then, Todd Miller from M&S Hardware was in charge of the marketing committee, which I had just joined. The first meeting, we were sitting around trying to dream up some fundraising ideas. Sherry Beltz, who I just met, mentioned that Mahanoy City has those brown bag concerts or lunches downtown. I said I’m a musician! Since then, I ran the Summer Concert Series for 10 years up until 2016.”

After a few shaky seasons, the summer series took Tamaqua by storm. Kulp couldn’t even go to the grocery store during the winter without running into residents, who would ask him about the bands that he plans on booking for the upcoming months.

“The first couple years I was doing it, the turnout was sparse and people weren’t used to it yet,” he said. “About the third year, people got used to it. Back then, we ran it every other week, and people were showing up for concerts on the odd weeks when nobody was there. I’d have to go down to the station and say, ‘Next week, folks!’ Now it’s just wildly popular. Every Thursday night, no matter what, people show up for the concerts and what a wonderful thing it is for the community. I get calls from other communities asking how did we do this? How did we start it? As you can see from Lansford Alive, they have their concerts over there, I helped them get their series started and it’s been successful.”

This year’s concert series is right in the midst of its schedule. Haven’t been to a show yet? Not to worry, there are six more concerts on the horizon, with the series concluding on Sept. 12.

Sterling Koch & Freeway Jam rocked out on Wednesday in front of a packed Depot Square at the Tamaqua Train Station. Kulp previously performed with Koch in a group called Crossroads Duo for three years. In fact, the band performed in Memphis at the International Blues Challenge together and were semifinalists among more than 200 international competing groups. Sterling’s daughter Kate is his bass guitarist, along with John Goba, the drummer.

“Sterling is an internationally renowned guitar player, he’s just excellent,” Kulp said. “As a matter a fact, a lot of people know him here in Tamaqua because he lived here for a while and used to give guitar lessons. In the music industry, people of principle are few and far in between. He’s a fine gentleman in addition to being a fantastic guitar player.”

Kulp, who was also a gigantic part in establishing the Tamaqua Community Arts Center, has seen yet another project of his grow into something special for his community.

And he couldn’t be happier to help enhance the lives of his friends, neighbors and fellow residents of Tamaqua.

“When I started the concert series, I had the same feeling as when I started the arts center. Personally, I was a little pessimistic, but I said I would try it and do my best to make it successful. Sure enough, both projects are wildly successful and I have to tell you, it gives me a warm feeling in my heart to know that they’re as successful as they are now. … We in Tamaqua are moving in the right direction.”