Weekend Melodies: Unwind with Free Suburban Concerts
Experience the magic of live music in the suburbs this weekend with a medley of free concerts lined up from Friday to Sunday. Unleash your environmentalist spirit at the town’s annual Music On The Square concert series which is set to present its inaugural performance for 2024 on Saturday, May 18 featuring the renowned Brian Johnson Band at The Crossings amphitheatre adjoining Depot Square.
Tonia Howell, the Executive Director of Arlington Chamber, proudly stated that the series has expanded with an array of food trucks and impressive bands meant to entertain families and community members. Howell expressed her gratitude towards the chamber businesses who sponsor the event and make it a jubilant community gathering.
The roster for this season also showcases Jason Foree on June 15, Mudflap Kings on July 20, Hairspray Nation on Aug. 17, and Area 51 on Sept. 21, with the series culminating on Oct. 19 with a performance from Basketcase.
Music On The Square, a brainchild of Depot Square merchants since 2007, aimed at magnetizing people to the Square.
Next in line is the Music By The Lake series, orchestrated at the Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center (BPACC), planned for Friday, May 17. Due to potential inclement weather, BPACC Director, Michael Bollinger, has made the decision to transition the event indoors.
Bollinger, who instigated the series in 2017 with free lakeside concerts every May and June, shares the beauty of watching the sun set over Appling Lake. Highlighting the fact that they have never canceled a concert, he stated the indoor shift will enhance audience experience with superior sound quality in an optimized audio environment.
Kick-starting the evening at 6 p.m., blues maestro Earl “The Pearl” Banks will charm audiences, followed by the rhythmic performances of the Memphis Funk-N-Horns Band till 9 p.m.
As the perfect conclusion to the musical weekend, on Sunday, May 19, melodies will echo at the Delta Blues Winery in Lakeland with a “Night of Enchantment” presented by the Memphis Symphony Big Band. The free show, coordinated by the Lakeland Arts Council, encourages attendee early arrival for suitable parking and lawn seating.
Lakeland City Commissioner and Lakeland Arts Council founder and president, Wesley Wright, anticipates that this first-of-its-kind event in Lakeland is merely the inception of more such vibrant initiatives. In support, Lakeland’s Fireworks City has even donated sparklers for the occasion.
The council envisions this spring concert to become a yearly tradition, similar to its Arts Festival, which was introduced last fall and is set to return this October. “Alongside the potentiality of an