USA TODAY 10Best
10 outdoor concert series you can't miss this summer
Best Outdoor Concert Series (2023)
Plenty of towns and cities across the United States host an outdoor concert series over the summer. They're family-friendly, offer diverse genres of music, are almost always free and are a great way to enjoy being outside in the evening, when it's cooler.
To find the best to attend this summer, we asked a panel of experts to nominate their favorites, then readers voted for their top picks. Here are the 10 best outdoor concert series for 2023.
- Sunset Music Series - Mountain Village, Colorado
- Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage - New York City, New York
- Summer Free For All - Portland, Oregon
- Live on the Green - Nashville, Tennessee
- Millennium Park Summer Music Series - Chicago, Illinois
- Knights on the Fox - De Pere, Wisconsin
- TGIF Concerts in the Parks - Carlsbad, California
- Scissortail Park Summer Concert Series - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Summer's Fifth Night at Utica Square - Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Somers Point Beach Concert Series - Somers Point, New Jersey
Photo courtesy of egon69 // Getty Images
No. 10:
Every Wednesday and select Thursdays, Coloradans get together at Mountain Village (just southwest of Telluride) to have a grand ol’ time at the summertime Sunset Music Series. Grab some grub from Breen Mesa Farms or La Piazza (just some of the local food vendors at series past), then settle in to listen to some great tunes. Past performers include Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble, The Deer and Chrome Velvet.
Photo courtesy of Emily Tan
No. 9:
Head to one of New York City’s major parks this summer and you just might catch your favorite band live at the annual Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage concert series. From Central Park to Brooklyn Bridge Park to Jackie Robinson Park and more, this event brings free music to all five boroughs. 10Best contributor Linda Laban says, "You are as likely to see a big-name artist perform as you are a local legend or an up-and-coming buzz band." Previous performers include Barenaked Ladies, Trombone Shorty, Big Freedia and the Met Opera.
Photo courtesy of skynesher // Getty Images
No. 8:
Portland's Summer Free for All program features everything from concerts and movie screenings to classes and cultural events, all free of charge. Their family-friendly concerts include a variety of diverse genres (Celtic folk-rock, funk and children’s musical groups, to name a few), as well as delicious bites from local food vendors to keep the crowds happy.
Photo courtesy of Josh Risch
No. 7:
Lightning 100's Live on the Green is a family-friendly music fest at Public Square Park that marks the end of summer. Guests can expect photo booths, food trucks and vendors, plus performances by a slew of bands each evening, including major headliners.
Photo courtesy of Abel Arciniega
No. 6:
Chicago’s Millennium Park Summer Series is where locals and tourists go to have a picnic with friends and find their next favorite band. Make a day of it by checking out local attractions, then get there early to grab a seat in the Pritzker Pavilion and listen to artists that span multiple genres, including alternative, jazz, house, R&B, pop and even disco.
Photo courtesy of St. Norbert College
No. 5:
This laid-back concert series at St. Norbert College has been a popular summertime event since 2003 and continues to attract students and locals alike to enjoy classic rock, jazz, blues, country and more. The free event takes place along the Fox River, where many listeners come by way of the Thompson Marina.
Photo courtesy of City of Carlsbad
No. 4:
San Diego County’s longest-running free outdoor concert series, TGIF Concerts in the Parks first began as TGIF Jazz in the Parks in the 1980s. Nowadays, the lineups are more diverse, with bands ranging from salsa and cumbia to yacht rock, swing and more. The concerts happen every Friday from late June through September.
Photo courtesy of FlightTimeOKC
No. 3:
Scissortail Park first opened in 2019 and their Summer Concert Series has only been happening a handful of years, but it's already become a favorite among locals and visitors alike. Attendees can stretch out on the green with drinks and enjoy tunes from a variety of artists, with previous performers including LeAnn Rimes, Mezclave Latin Jazz & Salsa and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.
Photo courtesy of Utica Square
No. 2:
Tulsa’s much-beloved free concert series happens every Thursday evening throughout the summertime at Utica Square. With plenty of variety to their lineups (country, jazz, rock and more), there’s always something for everyone attending these fun-filled evening events. Make a day of it by arriving early to the square for shopping and dining at local establishments before capping it off with a night of music under the stars.
Photo courtesy of John Loreaux Photography LLC
No. 1:
“This bay town located just outside Ocean City goes all out with their summer concert series,” says 10Best contributor Catherine Smith. “Residents and visitors bring their beach blankets and folding chairs down to the little bayside beach and dance the night away under the stars." From blues rock and reggae to Motown and swing, listen to it all as you close out a day on the beach.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Corinne Whiting
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she... Read More
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she caught the travel bug early on. Corinne studied abroad in Strasbourg, France (undergrad) and in Edinburgh, Scotland (graduate school). She's backpacked around Australia, taught English in Argentina and explored (so far!) countries from Cambodia and Egypt to Turkey and China. Corinne served as associate editor at Where magazine for five years; as a freelancer, she now writes for publications like National Geographic Traveler and Amtrak's OnTrak. Here in the lovely Northwest, she's attempting to debunk the rain myths, up her coffee and live music quotient and find her Zen near/on the water.
Corinne Whiting
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she caught the travel bug early on. Corinne studied abroad in Strasbourg, France (undergrad) and in Edinburgh, Scotland (graduate school). She's backpacked around Australia, taught English in Argentina and explored (so far!) countries from Cambodia and Egypt to Turkey and China. Corinne served as associate editor at Where magazine for five years; as a freelancer, she now writes for publications like National Geographic Traveler and Amtrak's OnTrak. Here in the lovely Northwest, she's attempting to debunk the rain myths, up her coffee and live music quotient and find her Zen near/on the water.
Jamie Davis Smith
Jamie is an attorney, writer and photographer. She... Read More
Jamie is an attorney, writer and photographer. She was born with deeply ingrained wanderlust and has visited 45 countries and counting. She often brings her children along for the adventure and is passing her love of travel on to the next generation. Jamie has written for Insider, Fodor's Travel, Yahoo, the Huffington Post, the Washington Post, Viator and Reviewed among many other publications. Jamie is from Philadelphia and now lives in Washington, DC, where she takes advantage of everything the region has to offer. Jamie can be reached at jamiesmithwrites@gmail.com and can be found on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
Jamie Davis Smith
Jamie is an attorney, writer and photographer. She was born with deeply ingrained wanderlust and has visited 45 countries and counting. She often brings her children along for the adventure and is passing her love of travel on to the next generation. Jamie has written for Insider, Fodor's Travel, Yahoo, the Huffington Post, the Washington Post, Viator and Reviewed among many other publications. Jamie is from Philadelphia and now lives in Washington, DC, where she takes advantage of everything the region has to offer. Jamie can be reached at jamiesmithwrites@gmail.com and can be found on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
Kyle McCarthy
Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of... Read More
Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of Family Travel Forum, the trusted resource for family vacation planners since 1996. FTF’s award-winning publications: MyFamilyTravels.com, America’s Most Popular Family Vacations and The Family Vacationist e-newsletter provide destination reviews, tips and seasonal roundups for all aspects of travel. Ms. McCarthy, author of a dozen Frommer’s guidebooks, also contributes to US News, CNN and other publications. She can be found on most social networks @familytravelforum.
Kyle McCarthy
Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of Family Travel Forum, the trusted resource for family vacation planners since 1996. FTF’s award-winning publications: MyFamilyTravels.com, America’s Most Popular Family Vacations and The Family Vacationist e-newsletter provide destination reviews, tips and seasonal roundups for all aspects of travel. Ms. McCarthy, author of a dozen Frommer’s guidebooks, also contributes to US News, CNN and other publications. She can be found on most social networks @familytravelforum.
Linda Laban
Linda Laban is a London-born freelance arts and... Read More
Linda Laban is a London-born freelance arts and travel writer, currently bi-coastal-plus — Linda drives coast to coast, exploring the bits in between.
Linda Laban
Linda Laban is a London-born freelance arts and travel writer, currently bi-coastal-plus — Linda drives coast to coast, exploring the bits in between.
Nicky Omohundro
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of Read More
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of LittleFamilyAdventure.com, the popular family travel & lifestyle website that inspires families to leave no child left inside. Since 2013 LFA has been providing inspiration to get families outdoors, eat well, and travel everywhere from their own backyard to around the world. Always up for a family adventure, she has traveled to 37 states and 6 countries to zip-line through a Costa Rican rainforest, see Finland’s Northern Lights, and go camping throughout the US. Nicky is the co-founder of Tourism WorX a travel consultancy group. Connect with her Twitter and Instagram.
Nicky Omohundro
Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of LittleFamilyAdventure.com, the popular family travel & lifestyle website that inspires families to leave no child left inside. Since 2013 LFA has been providing inspiration to get families outdoors, eat well, and travel everywhere from their own backyard to around the world. Always up for a family adventure, she has traveled to 37 states and 6 countries to zip-line through a Costa Rican rainforest, see Finland’s Northern Lights, and go camping throughout the US. Nicky is the co-founder of Tourism WorX a travel consultancy group. Connect with her Twitter and Instagram.
Shea Peters
Shea Peters is a NYC based writer and frequent... Read More
Shea Peters is a NYC based writer and frequent world traveler that looks to the history of a location in order to tell the story. Growing up in a Southern family that loves to travel, Shea has seen 44 of the 50 US states and believes that every place has a story worth telling, regardless of how populated or rural. She's currently a regular contributor discussing travel, culture, history, food, wellness, and business at Travel + Leisure, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Oprah Daily, Women’s Health, TripAdvisor, Cosmo, and Revolt TV. When she's not traveling, rooting for some unlikable sports team, or taking a pilates class, you can find Shea in her rooftop garden that is currently flourishing above the streets of New York City. You can follow Shea on Instagram and Twitter.
Shea Peters
Shea Peters is a NYC based writer and frequent world traveler that looks to the history of a location in order to tell the story. Growing up in a Southern family that loves to travel, Shea has seen 44 of the 50 US states and believes that every place has a story worth telling, regardless of how populated or rural. She's currently a regular contributor discussing travel, culture, history, food, wellness, and business at Travel + Leisure, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Oprah Daily, Women’s Health, TripAdvisor, Cosmo, and Revolt TV. When she's not traveling, rooting for some unlikable sports team, or taking a pilates class, you can find Shea in her rooftop garden that is currently flourishing above the streets of New York City. You can follow Shea on Instagram and Twitter.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards... Read More
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
