“Summertime, and the living is easy,” crooned Lyndsey Hand Saturday afternoon as she opened a concert at Florala’s Lakeside Bed and Breakfast. One would have thought George Gershwin had written the lyrics specifically for Hand to sing on a perfect almost-summer afternoon on a lawn overlooking beautiful Lake Jackson.

Hand performed with an ensemble that included her brother, guitarist Scott Johnson, percussionist Chuck Hewitt; and bass player Keith White for the “summertime” concert. The group played jazz and blues numbers made popular by the likes of Aretha Franklin and Peggy Lee, with a few show tunes worked in.

Organized by Karen Johnson, the event was designed to give area residents a taste of the kinds of events an arts group could bring to Florala. A group of residents recently completed a strategic plan for the city, and an arts organization was among the recommendations.

An estimated crowd of 75 to 100 from Florala, Andalusia, Crestview, Niceville, Laurel Hill and Paxton attended the event.