One of the joys of summer is sitting outside in a lawn chair, picnic food and drink by your side, feeling the cool breeze, and enjoying live music.
A bonus is when that music is free, but sometimes there’s a charge, depending on the performer. As summer starts to heat up, The Gazette wanted to let readers know about some of the acts playing in the months ahead, free or not, in Delaware County, and a few places just over the county line.
Delaware: Main Street Delaware will host “Summer on Winter,” two free outdoor music concerts this summer at 7 p.m. on West Winter Street between Sandusky and Franklin streets. On June 19, the Hoodoo Soul Band, a Columbus-based group with a horn section, plays a mix of soul and R&B favorites. Hoodoo has had a long-term residency at the Rumba Cafe. See www.hoodoosoulband.com. On July 10, the Reaganomics will perform. Another Columbus-based group, they’ve been playing 1980s music for 22 years. For more information, visit at www.reaganomics.com. Learn more at www.mainstreetdelaware.com or www.facebook.com/MainStreetDelaware.
The annual St. Mary Parish Festival takes place 5 p.m.-midnight on June 14 and 15 at the church, 82 E. William St. Friday’s acts are Shotgun McCoy (5 p.m.) and the Reaganomics (8 p.m.); and Saturday is Reelin’ in the Years (5 p.m.) and Divide Boyz (8 p.m.). Visit http://www.stmaryfestival.com/.
The YMCA will present hour-long “Harmony in the Park” concerts Sundays at 7 p.m. in July and August at the Bicentennial Park Gazebo on South Washington Street and Park Avenue (next to the fire station). In case of rain, concerts may be moved to the Delaware Community Center YMCA at 1121 S. Houk Road. This summer’s lineup: Buckeye Valley Alumni Band (July 7); Worthington Civic Band (July 14); Ohio Heartland Chorus & Marionaires Chorus (July 21); Trombones Plus (July 28); Ain’t Misbehaving (Aug. 4); Olentangy Men’s Chorus (Aug. 11); Ice Cream Social at 5:30 p.m. 3 of a Kind from 6:30-6:45 p.m., and the Delaware County Concert Band (Aug. 18); Buckeye Ballroom Big Band (Aug. 25).
Dublin: The Dublin Arts Council presents its 36th annual “Sundays at Scioto” summer concert series at the outdoor amphitheater at Scioto Park, 7377 Riverside Drive (south of Hard Road). The free concerts are June 9 to July 28 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. This year’s lineup: Ball in the House, an a cappella act from Boston (June 9); Heidi Burson, an Ohio native based in Nashville with two soul albums to her name (June 16); The Byrne Brothers, a Celtic traditional family band from Dublin, Ireland that now live in Orlando (June 23); Porter & Sayles, folk-country singer-songwriters whose credits include NBC’s “The Voice” (June 30); Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience, a Grammy-winning Zydeco roots musician whose gig includes a pre-concert “instrument petting zoo” (July 7); Mike Nash & the Southern Drawl Band, a southern country rock band that has opened for two generations of entertainers (July 14); Honey and Blue, a pop-alternative duo now based in Columbus (July 21); The Labra Brothers, a Latin-music trio from Youngstown who will also do a cooking demonstration prior to their show (July 28). For more information, visit DAC’s website at www.dublinarts.org.
Powell: The annual “Lolli-Pops! Summer Children’s Concert” takes place monthly at 10:30 a.m. Mondays at the Village Green Park, 47 Hall St. This year’s lineup: Zak Morgan presented by the Delaware County District Library (June 3); The Marvelous Toy (July 8); Endless Recess (Aug. 5).
The Powell Festival is June 21-22 at the Village Green. On Friday, the acts are Aaron Chalcraft (6-8 p.m.) and Shuckin Bubba Deluxe (9-11 p.m.); Saturday’s performers are Agent 99 (4-5:30 p.m.); Big Badd (6-7:30 p.m.) and Rockhouse (8-10 p.m.). For more information, visit https://festival.cityofpowell.us/.
The 16-piece big band Columbus Jazz Orchestra plays four concerts outdoors each summer at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. This year’s shows are Maurice Hines singing Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra (July 12); local pianist Dave Powers (July 26); a smooth jazz-themed concert (Aug. 2) and a “Soul Jam” (Aug. 9). In addition, there will be “Craft Brew at the Zoo” presented by Columbus Brewing Company, with music by Sugar Ray on Aug. 23. These are ticketed events. For more information, visit https://www.columbuszoo.org/home.
Westerville: The fourth annual Community Band Festival runs from noon-9 p.m. June 9 at Alum Creek Park North, 221 West Main St., with music by 10 concert bands, culminating with the Westerville Concert Band at 8 p.m.
The city has a Sounds of Summer free concert series that starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Alum Creek Amphitheatre, 221 West Main St. This year’s lineup: The Reaganomics (June 9); bluegrass musicians The Muleskinner Band (June 16); vocalist Brian Michael Smith (June 23); Westerville Symphony (June 30); The Conspiracy Band (July 7); The British Invasion (July 14); ARKFOO and country singer Kirstie Kraus (July 21); MoJoFlo (Aug. 11); Westerville Symphony (Aug. 18); blues act Lightning Rod & The Thunderbolts (Aug. 25).
There is also a Westerville Jazz Series that starts at 6 p.m. in the Amphitheatre. Playing in 2019: flutist Alexander Zonjic and keyboardist Jeff Lorber (June 22); NexLevel and Paul Taylor (June 29); saxophonist Jessy J and pianist Brian Simpson (July 6); Urban Jazz Coalition (July 13, as part of the Westerville Music & Arts Festival); flutist Althea Rene and saxophonist Eric Darius (July 27). For more information, visit: https://www.visitwesterville.org/.
The Pride and Spirit of America: A Musical Tribute to the Men and Women who serve our country is at 5 p.m. June 29 at Westerville Central High School in Delaware County (7118 Mount Royal Ave.). For more information, visit https://www.tututix.com/client/gen-pac/.