Mary Francis Mason remembers her brush with stardom more than 40 years ago at Long's Park.

"My husband and I were huge Duke Ellington fans," recalled Mason, who moved to Lancaster with her husband in 1967 and is now a resident of Homestead Village. "Being from upstate New Jersey, we couldn't believe Duke Ellington was coming here to perform."

After seeing the jazz legend entertain at the Fulton Opera House and Franklin & Marshall College, and in Hershey, the Masons last saw Ellington at the Long's Park amphitheater in 1971. It was there that Mason's husband decided to make his move.

"He wanted to get a picture of me and Duke Ellington, so we waited outside his dressing room after the concert," Mason said. "They said 'Oh sure, come on in.' That was the last time we saw him."

Mason's story, while memorable, is not unusual. Hundreds of acts have cycled through the Long's Park amphitheater over the past 50 years. From the Drifters to Los Lobos to the Felice Brothers. These concerts have brought area residents within reach of some of the nation's top musical talent.

The icing on the cake? Every concert since the amphitheater was built in 1962 has been free to the public.

Judy Smith, executive director of the Long's Park Amphitheater Foundation, which sponsors the free concert series, wants to put some candles on the amphitheater's 50th birthday cake by soliciting donations from community members and businesses who want to preserve this affordable treasure.

"We've been quiet about it," Smith said, noting that the amphitheater does not receive funds from the city or state. "We want to build a foundation for the next 50 years."

The foundation's Put a Candle on the Cake fundraising effort is seeking donations of $1,000 per "candle" in an effort to generate $50,000 by the end of 2012. A permanent plaque will be affixed to the amphitheater's exterior wall noting the names of donors. Smith said she hopes fans of the free concerts will find creative ways to raise the funds.

"They can hold a bake sale, a dress down day at work or a used-book sale," Smith said. "We want them to have fun."

Bill Wright, chair of the development committee for the foundation, said he and his family have been attending the summer concert series for more than 20 years and are amazed at the quality of music that hits the stage each year.

"This is world-class entertainment for the sole purpose of serving Lancaster," Wright said. "There are not many places that do this free to the public."

Wright said the ultimate goal of the fundraising effort is to set up an endowment to help sustain the foundation. "Our budget is zeroed out every year," Wright said. "We want to be able to maintain this level of quality for the long run."

Like Mason, other local residents have fond memories of attending summer concerts in the park.

Moonlit jazz
Ruth Brenner, of Willow Street, remembered the quality of the jazz bands.

"When I was sitting at the park listening to the Preservation Hall Jazz Band or other jazz bands, and the moon rises over the amphitheater, I realize it doesn't get any better than this," Brenner recalled. "Lancaster is lucky!"

Memorable encounter
Avery Harnish, a freshman at Cedar Crest High School in Lebanon, said his family has been attending the concerts since he was a little kid. An avid tenor saxophone player, Harnish remembers meeting a much-admired contemporary from the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

"I went behind stage and met Clint Maedgen," recalled Harnish, who plays in his high school jazz band. "He told me if I learn my scales, I can pretty much do anything, which is very true."

Harnish enjoys making the trip to Lancaster every Sunday with his family to attend the concerts. "I like all the concerts, but the fireworks are the best part."

Cheap date night
Jeff and Jesse Dombach agree that attending the Long's Park summer concerts, regardless of who is playing, is an affordable way to catch some quality time with your spouse.

"We go almost every Sunday," Jesse said. "I was born the year the concerts started in 1962. We really enjoy them all."

During the Fourth of July concert, the Dombachs set up a canopy with a large windsock attached to the top. It tends to attract a lot of attention. "People seem to congregate around it," Jesse said.

Jeff recalled the year they brought friends from out of town to the patriotic concert and failed to warn them about the artillery-aided ending to Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture."

"They were caught off guard by the cannons," Jeff said, laughing. "They got quite a jolt."

Peaceful ending
Tim Ardinger, who has served as president of the Long's Park Amphitheater Foundation for the past two years, recalled a concert about five years ago when folk singer Richie Havens played.

"At the end of the concert the audience asked for an encore," Ardinger remembered. "He came out and began singing a song about peace."

Ardinger said the audience went silent as they listened to Haven's a cappella rendition of the stirring song. "He had the audience spellbound," Ardinger said. "It was a beautiful moment."

With all of the fond recollections associated with the Long's Park amphitheater, Smith hopes people will realize there are many memories yet to be made.

"We want to keep expanding the programming and give the people of Lancaster County excellent music that is free of charge," Smith said. "We want to continue the commitment the foundation established 50 years ago."

For more information about the Long's Park Amphitheater Foundation and its Put a Candle on the Cake fundraiser, visit longspark.org or call 735-8883.