The latest round-up of free community concerts staged across Michigan this summer boasts a bevy of regional stars and swells our Local Spins guide to more than 120 series — from Allegan to Traverse City.
Summertime Strains: Kalamazoo’s Bronson Park is the site of many summer concerts including the ‘Lunchtime Live’ series. (Photo/Derek Ketchum)
VIEW THE FULL ‘FREE OUTDOOR COMMUNITY CONCERTS 2024 GUIDE’
Support our coverage of
West Michigan's music scene
To say there’s no shortage of summertime concerts enticing Michigan music lovers amounts to a monumental understatement.
Local Spins’ roster of schedules for free community concerts taking place in cities and towns across the state has swelled to more than 120 separate series for 2024, with dozens more set to be added as lineups are finalized for parks, gazebos and waterside stages from Ada to Zeeland — and just about every hamlet in between.
Two popular Grand Rapids concert series — the lunchtime Relax at Rosa at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids, and the Celadon Summer Concert Series at 2050 Celadon Dr NE — boast powerhouse Michigan artists.
Earth Radio, Phabies, Desmond Jones, Full Cord, Lady Ace Boogie, Jordan Hamilton and Zion Lion are in this year’s daily Relax at Rosa lineup, with The B-Side Growlers, Drew Nelson, Thornapple River Band and more playing the Thursday Celadon series. Plus, “Food Truck Fridays Summer Concerts” at Grand Rapids’ Riverside Park features everything from Detroit’s Denise Davis & The Motor city Sensations to Kalamazoo’s Out of Favor Boys.
But that’s just Grand Rapids and just a small slice of the diverse lineups of Michigan acts performing daily and nightly in Cadillac, Hastings, Caledonia, Cedar Springs, Leland, Manistee, Traverse City, Wyoming, Kalamazoo, Allegan, Fruitport and dozens upon dozens of other communities. We’ve highlighted a few of the series below, but you can view the full listings for 120-plus concert series in the Free Outdoor Community Concerts 2024 Guide.
The B-Side Growlers (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
When: 6:30 p.m. Thursdays
Where: Celadon Outdoor Amphitheater, 2050 Celadon Dr NE, Grand Rapids
LINEUP
June 6 – B-Side Growlers
June 20 – Jimmy and the Mortals
July 11 – Thornapple River Band
July 25 – Drew Nelson
August 1- The Kennedy Affair
GRAND RAPIDS: FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS SUMMER CONCERTS
When: 5:30 pm Fridays
Where: Riverside Park, 2001 Monroe Ave. NW
LINEUP
May 17 – Moonshot
May 24 – Denise Davis and the Motor City Sensations
May 31 – Out of Favor Boys
June 7 – Thunder 107.3 FM
June 14 – Hot FM 105.3 FM
June 21 – 97 LAV FM Classic Rock
June 28 – Skylight
July 5 – JP Energy
July 12 – Atomic Annie
July 19 – Sounds Familiar
July 26 – The Q 94.5 FM
Relax at Rosa: Earth Radio returns on May 23 (Photo/Anna Sink)
When: Noon Thursdays
Where: Rosa Park Circle, 135 Monroe Center NW, Grand Rapids
LINEUP
May 2 – Nathan Walton & The Remedy
May 9 – Zion Lion
May 16 – PHABIES
May 23 – Earth Radio
May 30 – Max Lockwood & Eric O’Daly
June 6 – Alex Teller
June 13 – Jordan Hamilton
June 20 – Da’Veonce & DaFunk Gang
June 27 – EPCYA
July 11 – Desmond Jones
July 18 – Elisabeth Pixley-Fink
July 25 – Ten Peso Version
August 1 – Full Cord
August 8 – Normal Mode
August 15 – August
August 22 – United Everywhere
August 29 – Lady Ace Boogie w/ Bedrock & Friends
September 5 – Common Molly
September 12 – Fake Baseball
Jesse Ray: Returns to Allegan in early June. (Photo/Molly Long)
When: 7 p.m. Fridays
Where: Allegan Riverfront Stage, Riverfront Plaza, Allegan
LINEUP
June 7 – Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish
June 14 – Pajamas
June 21 – The Fat Animals
June 28 – Chirp
July 5 – Pocket Watch
July 12 – Kanin Wren
July 19 – The Schrock Bros
July 26 – The American Hotel System
August 2 – Celeste Allison
August 9 – Prior Noon
August 16 – Spike the Media
August 23 – Sage Castleberry
August 30 – Patty Pershayla & The Mayhaps
HASTINGS: FRIDAYS AT THE FOUNTAIN
When: Noon Fridays
Where: Barry County Courthouse Lawn, 220 W. State S.t, Hastings
LINEUP
June 7 – Shannon Hughes
June 14 – Chuck Whiting, Jr.
June 21 –Eastown Swing
June 28 – Lajove Quartet
July 5 – Michael Fahey
July 12 – Ben Traverse
July 19 –Matthew Ball
July 26 – Geez Louise!
August 2 – Hastings Community Music School
August 9 – Ellie Youngs Experience
August 16 – Ellis & M.E.
Laura Rain (Photo/Anna Sink)
When: 7:30 p.m. Fridays
Where: Thornapple Plaza, 301 E. State St., Hastings
LINEUP
June 7 – Mama’s Hot Sauce
June 14 – Stone Street Revival
June 21 – SilentBark
June 28 – Kait Rose (Shania Twain tribute)
July 5 – The Bridge Live!
July 12 – The Fat Animals
July 19 – Laura Rain and the Caesars
July 26 – Jake Kershaw
August 2 – The Blue Catz
August 9 – Taylor Swift Experience (Kanin Wren)
August 16 – Roosevelt Diggs
KALAMAZOO: LUNCHTIME LIVE
When: 11:30 a.m. Fridays
Where: Bronson Park, 200 S. Rose St., Kalamazoo
LINEUP
June 14 – Macy Krew
June 21 – Abbigale Rose
June 28 – The Iconix
July 5 – The Dirty Rain Revelers
July 12 – Pinter Whitnick
July 19 – Kanola Band
July 26 – Shelagh Brown Band
August 2 – Matt Gabriel
August 9 – i.am.james
August 16 – Youth & Teen Talent Show
August 23 – Dylan Tolbert
August 30 – Grace Theisen
Jeff Haas of Big Fun (Courtesy Photo)
When: 7 p.m. Thursdays, 4 p.m. Sundays
Where: Lawn of the Old Art Building, 111 South Main St., Leland
LINEUP
June 27 – i.am.james
June 30 – Big Fun
July 11 – Mulebone
July 18 -The XtraCrisp
July 28 – Josh Rose
August 1- On the Lash
August 8 – Elizabeth Landry Trio
August 15 – Barefoot!
August 18 – Leland Blue
August 22 – Charlie Millard
August 29 – Jazz North
TRAVERSE CITY: CONCERTS ON THE LAWN
When: 7 p.m. Thursdays
Where: Grand Traverse Pavilion, 1000 Pavilions Circle, Traverse City
LINEUP
June 20 – All About Buffett – Doc Probes and the Rip Tides
June 27 – Elvis Tribute Artist – Jake Slater
July 11 – Miriam Pico and Friends
July 18 – Petoskey Steel Drum Band
July 25 – Backroom Gang
August 1 – The Gordon Lightfoot Tribute
August 8 – Some Like It Yacht
August 15 – K. Jones & The Benzie Playboys
Sophia McIntosh (Photo/Jamie Geysbeek)
When: 7 p.m. Tuesdays
Where: Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. Sw., Wyoming
LINEUP
June 18 – Whorled
June 25 – Brena
July 9 – Cabildo
July 16 – Sophia McIntosh
July 23 – LVRS
July 30 – Music That Raised Us
MANISTEE: ROOTS ON THE RIVER
When: 7 p.m. Thursdays
Where: 100-199 Memorial Dr. Manistee
LINEUP
July 4 – Roots on the River Kickoff (12 p.m.–9 p.m.)
July 11 – Seth Bernard
July 18 – Nick Veine
July 25 – Sari Brown
August 1 – Cole Hansen
August 8 – Ben Traverse
View more free summer concert series here.
Copyright 2024, Spins on Music LLC
