Some of the best things in life are free in Montgomery County, where summer concert series are underway. Pack a picnic or patronize nearby restaurants or onsite food vendors and settle in on a blanket, a lawn chair, the sidewalk or the grass. Feel free to sing or dance along, and enjoy – amid neighbors and friends — beautiful music of all genres in the open air. In the (hopefully) rare case of rain, concerts may be canceled or rescheduled.

The Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center in Silver Spring, which opened in October, is the site of a brand-new second-Saturday-of-the-month concert series produced by a partnership between Montgomery County Recreation and Strathmore as part of the Bloom initiative that creates and supports programs beyond the North Bethesda-based arts center’s campus.

The April and May concerts, held indoors, “were a great success,” attended by more than 60 people, ranging in age from 4 to 80,” said Strathmore’s Education Manager Oyin Ogungbemile. Singer-songwriter Chris Urquiaga, she said, “had the audience on their feet and stomping to salsa rhythms, and taught them a little bit about the Portuguese language and history of the culture of Brazil.” And classical guitarist Piotr Pakhomkin “played songs by Cuban classical guitarists, and even invited virtuoso kora and djembe player (and former Strathmore Artist in Residence) Amadou Kouyate to join him on stage.”

“The artists received such an enthusiastic response,” Ogungbemile said. “Audience reviews span from ‘best concert I’ve seen in my community’ to ‘we are so glad that you all are making our rec center entertaining and arts-oriented. We know that audience members are particularly excited for the outdoor concerts beginning June 8, so I can’t wait to see how this series grows.”

The remaining three concerts, “are sure to be a hit,” she added. “Patrons who attended the first two concerts have already marked their calendars and many have personally told me they’ll be inviting friends and family.”

Here’s a listing of the free outdoor concerts planned for this summer all around the town.

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Bethesda

Strathmore
7 PM Wednesdays at Gudelsky Gazebo 
5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda
www.strathmore.org/events-and-tickets/free-summer-outdoor-concerts
301-581-5100

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Live From the Lawn
July 10 – Front Country
July 17 – Band of Us
July 24 – Joe Falero Band
July 31 – Miss Tess & The Talkbacks
Aug. 7 – The Josanne Francis Septet
Aug. 14 – Rare Essence
Aug. 21 – UkeFest Finale
Aug. 28 – Aaron Abernathy

Bethesda Urban Partnership
6 – 8 PM Thursday at Veterans Park,
Corner of Norfolk & Woodmont avenues
www.bethesda.org/bethesda/summer-concert-series
301-215-6660

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Summer Concert Series
May 16 – Brent & Co. (Rock/Country)
May 23 – Moxie Blues Band (Blues/Rock)
May 30 – 19th Street Band (Folk)
June 6 – Oasis Island Sounds (Reggae)
June 13 – Hall Williams Band (Funk)

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Gaithersburg

City of Gaithersburg
Concert Pavilion,
331 South Summit Ave.
www.gaithersburgmd.gov/about-us/city-facilities/concert-pavilion
301-258-6350

Thursday Morning Kids Concerts (10:30 AM)
June 6 – The Great Zucchini (Magic & Humor)
June 13 – Blue Sky Puppets.
June 20 – Footworks (Dance)
June 27 – Cantare (Latin American)
July 11 – Chrystylez Bacon (Human Beat Box)
July 18 – Peter Wood (Magician)
July 25 – InterAct Story Theatre (African Story Telling)

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Thursday Evenings in Olde Towne (6 – 7:30 PM)
June 6 – Fast Eddie & the Slowpokes (Blues, Soul)
June 13 – The Talbott Brothers (Folk, Rock)
June 20 – The Hula Monsters (Hawaiian Swing)
June 27 – Janeliasoul (World Music Fusion)
July 11 – Orquesta Nfuzion (Latin)
July 25 – East of Monroe (Bluegrass, Americana)
Sept. 5 – Iona Celtic Band (Celtic)
Sept. 12 – Ruthie & the Wranglers (Rockin’ American Roots)
Sept. 19 – The Fishermen Band (Folk, Rock, Reggae)
Sept. 26 – Rhodes Tavern Troubadours (Rock, Pop)

Rio Washingtonian Center
6 – 9 PM at RIO Patio near the paddle boats
209 Boardwalk Place

Friday Free Concerts
June 23 – Jesse Garon (Elvis Tribute)
June 30 – Rock & Roll Relics (Oldies)
July 7 – New Censation (Motown, Rock & Pop)
July 14 – First Class (Rock, Pop & Motown)
July 21 – Diamond Alley (Classic Rock, Motown, Pop)
July 28 – Sons of Pirates (Jimmy Buffet Style)
Aug. 4 – Ro Cube & Friends (R&B, Funk, Pop)
Aug. 11 – Rock & Roll Relics (Oldies)
Aug. 18 – Billy Vaughan (Pop, R&B, Rock)
Aug. 25 – Unity (Reggae)
Sept. 1 – Speed of Sound (Paul McCartney Tribute)
Sept. 8 – Grupo Latino (Latin)
Sept. 15 – First Class (Rock, Pop, Motown)
Sept. 22 – Route 66 (Pop, Rock, Motown)
Sept. 29 – Diamond Alley (Classic Rock, Motown, Pop)

Saturday Free Concerts
June 24 – Bobby & The Believers (Motown, Rock, Pop)
July 1 – Quiet Fire R&B (Motown)
July 8 – 4 Star Combo (Rockabilly, Oldies)
July 15 – Route 66 (Pop, Rock, Motown)
July 22 – Gringo Jingo (Santana Tribute, Latin)
July 29 – Joint Chiefs (Classic Rock, Motown, Pop)
Aug. 5 – Mason Dixon (Country Rock)
Aug. 12 – Bobby & The Believers (Motown, Rock, Pop)
Aug. 19 – Vol Azul (Latin)
Aug. 26 – 49 Cent Dress (Classic Rock, Pop)
Sept. 2 – Quiet Fire (R&B, Motown)
Sept. 9 – Fabulous Exaggerations (Classic Rock, Motown)
Sept. 16 – Dunns River Band (Country Rock)
Sept. 23 – Back Pages (Oldies)
Sept. 30 – Guys in Thin Ties (1980s)

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Germantown

BlackRock Center for the Arts
7 PM Saturdays at BlackRock Outdoor Stage
12901 Town Commons Drive
www.blackrockcenter.org
301-528-2660

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Summer Concert Series
June 29 – Mama’s Black Sheep (Country, Pop, Soul, Blues)
July 6 – Marv Ashby & High Octane (Bluegrass, Country, Americana)
July 13 – The VI-Kings (1960s Soundtrack of Your Life)
July 20 – David Cole & Man Street Blues (Blues)
July 27 – BlackRock Woodstock, 2 PM

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Glen Echo

Glen Echo Partnership for Arts & Culture
7:30 PM Thursdays at Glen Echo Park’s Bumper Car Pavilion
7300 MacArthur Blvd.
https://glenechopark.org/summerconcerts,
Information: 301-634-2222; Inclement Weather: 301-320-2330

Thursday Summer Concerts

June 6 – Flower Hill String Band
June 13 – Squeeze Bayou (Cajun, Zydeco)
June 20 – U.S. Marine Latin Band
June 27 – Ramon Gonzalez
July 11 – I and I Riddim
July 18 – BG & the Mojo Hands
July 25 – Cloudburst
Aug. 1 – Arundelair Chorus
Aug. 8 – Aloha Boys
Aug. 15 – U.S. Marine Band: Free Country
Aug. 22 – King Soul
Aug. 29 – James Bazen Big Band

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Rockville

Rockville Town Square
6 – 9 PM on select Fridays on The Square
30 Maryland Ave.
http://rockvilletownsquare.com/events/friday-night-live/

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Friday Night Live Summer Concert Series
June 7 – Dublin 5 (Celtic Rock)
June 14 – Dan Haas (Pop, Variety)
June 21 – Unity Reggae Band (Reggae)
June 28 – Billy Coulter Band (Americana)
July 5 – Mambo Combo (Latin, Salsa)
July 12 – Scott Kurt & Memphis 59 (Country)
July 19 – The Crawdaddies (Roots, Zydeco)
July 26 – Hustle Souls (Indie Pop)
Aug. 2 – The Natty Beaux (Swing)
Aug. 9 – The Players Band (Ska, Reggae)
Aug. 16 – Guys in Thin Ties (’80s Tribute)
Aug. 23 – Matt Hutchison & the Big Gin (Pop, Rock)
Aug. 30 – Moonshine Society(Blues, Roots, Soul)
Sept. 6 – Will Hill (Reggae, Rock, Soul)
Sept. 13 – Baltimore Rockabilly (Rockabilly)
Sept. 20 – Justin Trawick & the Common Good (Bluegrass, Americana)
Sept. 27 – Mambo Combo (Latin, Salsa)

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Silver Spring

Bloom by Strathmore
6 PM at Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center
14715 Good Hope Road
www.strathmore.org/bloom/programs/urquiagagoodhope/16437
301-581-5100

Free Concert Series
June 8 – Christie Dashiell (contemporary jazz vocalist)
July 13 – Wytold (composer-cellist)
Aug. 10 – Josanne Francis (steel pan)

Downtown Silver Spring
7 – 9 PM at Silver Spring Civic Building, Veterans Plaza,
One Veterans Place
www.silverspringdowntown.com/summer-concert-series

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Thursday Night Summer Concert Series
June 20 – The Back Pages Band (Classic Rock)
June 27 – Josh Christina (Country, Classic Rock, Big Band, Rockabilly)
July 11 – Route 66 (Rock, Classic Rock, Blues, Motown, Boogie Woogie, Country)
July 18 – Marc Berger Band (American Roots)
July 25 – MoCo’s Got Talent (Countywide talent competition for middle & high school students)
Aug. 1 – The Hittime Revue featuring Jimi Smooth (Boogie, R&B, Soul)
Aug. 8 – The Soul Crackers (Party, Motown Soul)

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Wheaton

Brookside Gardens
6:30 – 8:30 PM Tuesdays on Brookside’s Visitors Center lawn
1800 Glenallan Ave, Silver Spring
www.montgomeryparks.org/events/summer-twilight-concert-series-10/

Summer Twilight Concert Series
June 4 – Kurlou Reggae Band
June 11 – Trio Caliente (Spanish Flamenco, Latin Pop)
June 25 – Kantinka (African World Beat)
July 2 – The Crawdaddies (Cajun, Zydeco, Roots Rock)