The Homestead near Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan Legacy Art Park and Grand Traverse Civic Center are rife with live music this summer. Get the schedules and more at Local Spins.

Back Home in Michigan: Luke Winslow-King plays The Homestead on July 10. (Photo/Jeff Brinn)
Outdoor concerts are all the rage in summer, from free shows in city parks all across the state to the friendly hillsides of natural and man-made amphitheaters. Three venues in northern Michigan offer some of the best settings and performances.
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The Homestead resort in Glen Arbor is reviving its “Music on the Mountain” series for the first time since pre-pandemic years. The series takes its name from its iconic setting atop Bay Mountain, the resort’s ski hill. Patrons ride the ski lift to the top, where they can enjoy the music against the backdrop of the sun setting over the waters of Sleeping Bear Bay on Lake Michigan.

The Homestead (Courtesy Photo)
The shows take place Thursday nights at 7 p.m. The series kicks off July 10 with the Luke Winslow-King duo, which will subsequently be playing at Blissfest. Other performers include the following:
• July 24- Crispin Campbell Trio, cello/piano/dobro playing Latin and Americana
• Aug. 7 – The Sun Dogs, easy listening pop/reggae/bluegrass
• Aug. 21 – Joe Taylor quartet, Grammy-nominated contemporary jazz guitarist
• Sept. 11 – Jabo Bihlman band, Emmy-winning blues rock guitarist with his trio
• Sept. 18 – East Bay Drive, Traverse City smooth jazz/pop outfit with vocalist Miriam Pico
This will be the first time guitarist Taylor will perform in Michigan. For several years, he was a mainstay in New York City, playing at jazz clubs and on Broadway. Another first will be vocalist Miriam Pico performing with East Bay Drive, the jazz quartet led by her longtime musical partner David Chown. Saxophonist Ryan Critchfield will also be guesting.
Tickets are available through Ticket Tailor. Prices are $15, $5 for kids 5-12. Children under 5 are free. Beer from Stormcloud Brewing and wine from Simpson Family Wineries will be available for purchase.
Michigan Legacy Art Park, the outdoor sculpture park on the grounds of Crystal Mountain Resort, will feature four shows this year at its natural amphitheater in the woods. Lindsay Greer, director of programs and public engagement, says the cozy setting under a canopy of trees lends itself to an intimate show. “It’s a magical experience,” she says.
The amphitheater features tiered seating for approximately 100. People can bring their own blankets or chairs if they choose. Patrons hike through the park to get to the show. “You wander through part of the sculpture park. There are two trails, one of which is accessible,” says Greer. The park also offers golf cart rides to those who are unable to make the hike.

Rebekah Jon (Courtesy Photo)
Asked by a prospective performer about the PA system, Greer says she told her it was lo-fi. “We have a couple outlets and a dream,” she says with a laugh. But they use that as a strength, rather than a problem. “It often leads to interaction between the artist and the crowd.”
Legacy Art Park is showcasing local and regional artists for its four shows this year. They take place on Thursdays in July, beginning July 10 with upright bassist Betsy Soukup accompanied by fellow upright bassist Paul Erhard, drummer Jonathan Taylor and dancer Ben Cheney.
It will be followed July 17 by Billy & the Kid playing bluegrass and roots; Robert Abate Trio July 24, playing power blues, jazz, and funk; and concluding July 31 with Rebekah Jon, psychedelic pop-rock. Tickets to the 7 p.m. shows are available online here.
The Grand Traverse County Civic Center is a hotbed of activity in the summer. That includes two performances by the Traverse City Philharmonic. They take place in a natural amphitheater on the grounds of the 45-acre county park, which is also home to ballfields, a walking path, pool and ice arena.
This year the TCP has two summer shows scheduled under the tent the organization purchased from the defunct theater group Parallel 45. On July 21, it will unveil “John Williams + Movie Magic!” under the baton of TC Philharmonic Music Director and Principal Conductor Kevin Rhodes. The show will feature Andrew Sords on violin and guests are invited to show up in costume. Darth Vader, anyone?
The following Monday, July 28, will again feature Sords with Beethoven’s Symphony #7 and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Rhodes will conduct. Tickets for the 7 p.m. shows start at $25, $15 for students. Get details here: tcphil.org/concerts.
Other TC Phil events there include an Encore Winds performance July 4, as well as an Aug. 4 performance by the Traverse City Suzuki School and Summer Civic String orchestra. The amphitheater and tent get plenty of use by other groups, including the Saturdays in the Park concerts organized by Tim Scully and a jazz band camp.
Dr. Angela Lickiss Aleo, director of Community Music School, says the tented amphitheater provides an opportunity for summer residents to enjoy the symphony and for both visitors and local patrons to hear classical music in a more relaxed atmosphere. “It’s a nice collaboration,” she says of the TC Phil’s working with the county (which owns the park) and other organizations.
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