Summer—it’s the best of times, but it can sometimes feel like the worst of times. Going outside can sometimes feel like stepping into a steam room with the high temperatures and humidity, but getting some fresh air in the evenings is hard to beat, especially when paired with a light breeze and live tunes.
Luckily, North Carolina has free outdoor concerts scattered throughout the state, with our state’s diverse natural settings serving as backdrops. From the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains depicted in paintings to the scenic beaches often featured in Hollywood movies, these free concerts are a sensory treat to the eyes and ears.
The Triangle area has a robust series of concerts
Raleigh and suburbs
Fortunately for those suffering from “blue dot fever,” the Triangle area is chock-full of free concert series.
Raleigh hosts a free series at two locations—Pullen Park and Fletcher Park. If you’re a “Mr. Saxobeat,” then you’ll especially love the multiple concerts that feature the iconic woodwind instrument (yes, it’s a woodwind, and not a bass). The series runs every Sunday evening until August 16.
Cary and Apex also have their own outdoor concert series. Cary started its series at the beautiful Downtown Cary Park and has an upcoming concert on June 27 that features Abraham Alexander. The city also has two more concerts announced for July and August, and expects to post more concerts that go on until October.
R&R Rhythms, Apex’s free concert series, takes place at the Nature Park Amphitheater on select Saturday evenings starting at 7 p.m. The next concert is on August 1 and features Tre.Charles.
Durham
Durham’s Department of Parks and Recreation is hosting various concerts at Duke Park and Forest Hills Park on Saturdays from 6 to 8 p.m. If you like Latin music, mark June 27 on your calendar for Sabrosura at Forest Hills Park. Sabrosura plays “Latin jazz and dance music from Cuba, Puerto Rico, New York, and the world.”
Chapel Hill
It should be no surprise that the quintessential college town has two concert series. Every other Friday evening at 6 p.m., UP! Live hosts a free concert series in a mini park area at University Place, a local shopping center.
On Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., you can catch Sundays at Sundown on the Southern Village Green. This series runs until September 20 and features a wide range of music, from The Triangle Jazz Orchestra to classic rock band Blue Cup Riot.
If you enjoy The North Carolina Symphony, Southern Village is also hosting a free concert in honor of the United States’ 250th birthday on June 18 at 8 p.m. The ensemble will play popular patriotic songs.
The Queen City area is king when it comes to free concerts
Charlotte
The Charlotte metropolitan area unequivocally has the most free concert series, with the city of Charlotte itself having multiple series in various neighborhoods. At Commonwealth Plaza Midwood, Thursdays on the Turf has two concerts left in its series until it ends after June. The concerts are at the Commonwealth Plaza Midwood Turf from 5 to 8 p.m., featuring a solo performance by Lukas Degra on June 18 and Sean Mettler on June 25.
Party in the Park is a series of free music concerts that happens on select Sunday afternoons at the Mint Museum. The next event will be on June 21 and will honor Father’s Day. The museum will have free admission that day, and the Mike Strauss Band will perform. Camp North End launches a free concert series soon with live music on Friday nights starting on June 26.
In South Charlotte, there are two concert series still running: Sounds of Summer on every Saturday night for the month of June at Blakeney Town Center, and Rea Farms’ Summer Concert Series on July 11.
Many of the suburbs also have various free concert series. For example, the Charlotte suburb of Huntersville has two free concert series: Live Under The Oaks on Friday evenings and the monthly LaLaCaboosa in downtown. This is just a small sampling of the many free concerts going on in the Charlotte metropolis!
The Triad features cultural diversity in its free concert lineup
Greensboro
Greensboro hosts the Music for a Sunday Evening program (MUSEP) going until the end of August. If you enjoy patriotic and pop concert band tunes, mark June 28 on your calendar—Greensboro Concert Band will be playing at LeBauer Park from 6 to 8 p.m. R&B lovers should check out The SongBird Raven and the Nest at Barber Park on July 19, while world music aficionados will appreciate Africa Unplugged at Country Park on August 23.
Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem has been hosting free concerts since 1998. This year, the city is repeating Summer on Fourth every Saturday evening in front of Foothills Brewing and holding Downtown Jazz concerts at Corpening Plaza on select Friday evenings.
Summer on Fourth features eclectic genres such as “yacht rock” and country line dance. Two concerts that look especially exciting include West End Mambo, a Latin dance music group, on June 11, and The Vagabond Saints’ Society, a Prince Tribute band, on September 5.
And this summer, there’s a brand-new concert series in Winston-Salem: the Back To Trade series in the Arts District (intersection of 6th and Trade Streets). The next Back To Trade concert is June 19 and features Moxie, a Motown-funk blend band.
High Point
The High Point Arts Council hosts a free concert series called Summer Sounds on Friday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. The next concert is especially exciting as it features Carolina Soul Band on June 26, whose music blends Motown, beach, and soul.
Reidsville
Reidsville will be kicking off its free summer music series on June 20 at Market Square. The first concert runs from 7 to 9 p.m. and features Paul McDonald & The Mourning Doves—an Americana blend of gritty Southern rock and Alabama gospel. July 18 brings The Phoebes to the stage, and you can catch Heartbreaker on August 15 and Chris Taylor & The Rumor on September 26.
Wilmington and the area beaches offer concerts by the water
Wilmington and area beaches
The Eagle’s Dare, a Wilmington bar, hosts Free Concert Fridays—a series of free concerts by tribute bands that raise funds for non-profits dedicated to helping veterans. The shows will go on until the end of July, culminating in a karaoke night where everyone gets to be a star.
Marina Grill, by the riverfront, hosts the Sunset Concert Series, which runs until October 16. The weekly concerts will be held on various Friday or Saturday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m.
In Carolina Beach, you can attend the Fireworks by the Sea and Boardwalk Blast that occurs every Thursday evening until September 4. The event series features music starting at 6 p.m. on the famous Carolina Beach Boardwalk and culminates in a fireworks show around 9 p.m. On June 18, you can enjoy ocean views, booze, and some blues, as the classic blues and rock band, No Regretz will be performing.
Follow the Town of Carolina Beach’s Facebook page for updates on the series.
At Kure Beach’s Oceanfront Park, you can groove every first and third Thursday night at the Boogie in the Park series. The shows run from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and feature genres such as pop, rock, funk, and soul.
Two restaurants in Wrightsville Beach have a summer music series: Oceanic Restaurant and Bluewater Waterfront Grill. The Rock the Dock series at Bluewater will run until September and has weekly concerts every Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m. At Oceanic, you can enjoy live music at the Crystal Pier every Thursday evening from 6 to 9 p.m. and every Sunday afternoon from 12 to 3 p.m.
Enjoy hearing the blues while seeing the Blue Ridge Mountains
Asheville area
Downtown After Five is a monthly free outdoor concert series in downtown Asheville that runs every third Friday evening and partners with local organizations. Admission is free, but if you plan on buying alcohol, you do have to pay $2 for a wristband that will give you access to purchasing drinks. There are two more concerts left in the series.
The series will celebrate Juneteenth with opening act Reggie Headen and the Nite Time Noon and headliner Kanika Moore. The Juneteenth Celebration partners with the Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville & Buncombe County.
The city will celebrate New Orleans Night on August 21 with opening act Bayou Diesel, headliner J & The Causeways, and a “special appearance from the Asheville Second Line.” This concert partners with Asheville Mardi Gras.
French Broad River Winery hosts a series of no-cover concerts that feature an on-site pizza shop, so you can refuel after a night of jamming along to tunes. The winery also has four recurring weekly events, including Bazemore & Friends Bluegrass/Roots Music every other Monday evening, Jazz Brunch with The Four Peanuts on Saturday early afternoons, and late-afternoon Reggae Sundays with Chalwa Roots.
On Friday, July 24, Hilton Garden Inn – Asheville South will host An Evening with Jason Whitaker at 6 p.m. Whitaker is one of the top-booked acts in western N.C. and is known for his soft rock and ballad covers. So if you’re a big fan of The Eagles, you may want to additionally check him out at his free performance at Wine Down in Brevard, N.C., on June 20 at 6 p.m. There are other free concerts every Friday and Saturday at Wine Down that go on year-round.
Boone/High Country
Boone has two free concert series: The Roots in the Garden series at Daniel Boone Native Gardens and weekly Friday concerts at Jones House Cultural Center. Roots in the Garden starts June 18 and goes on until August 20, while Jones House concerts run until August 28 and feature bluegrass, folk, jazz, and old-time music.
Boone also puts on a music and arts festival called Boonerang Music & Arts Fest, which is a multi-day annual downtown street festival on the third weekend in June. On Thursday, there is a local talent show, while there are back-to-back free concerts on Friday evening. Saturday is the street festival, and Sunday is an international festival that starts with a “Parade of Nations.”
Click here to see the full lineup of events during this year’s Boonerang Fest.
The High Country Visitor site also has a whole webpage dedicated to a whopping 21 various concert series around the region, including Beech Mountain, Blowing Rock/Boone, West Jefferson/Sparta, and Wilkesboro.
With all of these free concert options, the only budgeting you need to worry about now is making sure to fill your gas tank for all of the road trips you will take this summer.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Related: 14 Juneteenth events in southeastern North Carolina
