Whatever your jam—rock, blues, classical, reggae, bluegrass, folk, jazz, or mariachi—there’s free music to be found all over Utah, all summer long.
If you see a lot of live music, we don’t have to tell you the average price (grumble, grumble) of a concert ticket. Luckily, we are heading into summer—free concert season—and Utah is overflowing with great free shows.
Like most states, Utah’s cities and towns host free summer concerts in the park. But we also host several excellent concert series at ski resorts featuring national touring acts, our arts nonprofits support specialty music events like the annual Mariachi Festival, and our library systems all seem to have staff who are brilliant musical curators.
One exciting new music event that’s kicking off this year is Joy in Rhythm, a multi-night festival in Gallivan Center featuring traditional jazz bands (and people who will teach you to swing dance). On the other side of the spectrum is the Provo Summer Band Series, which is heading into Season 56; its resident artists are Utah Premiere Brass, Utah’s only traditional British brass band.
In addition to the specialists, there are plenty of generalists: concert series that swing from country to pop to classical to bluegrass. There are also recurring events, like the Moab Free Concert Series, that pair local musicians with national touring bands.
Excellence Concert Series
When: June 5-Aug. 22
Where: Covey Center, Grand Theatre, Holladay City Park, Peery’s Egyptian Theater, Viridian Center, La Caille, Orem Library Hall, Eccles Center Park City
The Excellence Concert Series’ whole raison d’etre is to bring free, quality music to Utahns, with programming that spans cities and genres. Here’s proof: Over the summer, you can hear Unity Gospel Choir in Provo, county band Wildwood at the Viridian Center in West Jordan, and the Crosstown Big Band at La Caille in Sandy. There are also some fun cover acts scattered throughout the calendar.
Music on the Patio
When: Wed & Sat, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., June. 6-Aug. 5
Where: Park City Library, 1255 Park Ave., Park City
Music on the Patio, a partnership between the Park City Library and Mountain Town Music, features free performances by Summit County solo artists like BD Howes, Aubrie Rose, Aspen Anonda, and Andy Crosby. Bring your own food or grab coffee and snacks from Lucky Ones, the library’s resident coffee shop, and feel free to let your kids run around on the field adjacent to the patio—these summer concerts are meant to be family-friendly.
Provo Summer Band Series
When: Sun, 7 p.m., June 7-28
Where: North Park. 500 N. 500 W., Provo
For the past 56 years, every Sunday in June, people headed to Provo’s North Park for the Summer Band Series. Since the early aughts, that title has referred to just one band: Utah Premiere Brass. Utah’s only traditional British-style brass band, UPB is made up of 30 musicians (both brass musicians and percussionists) from around the state, performing a repertoire that stretches beyond traditional brass compositions, including film scores, Broadway tunes, classical, and jazz.
Joy in Rhythm
When: 6 p.m.-10 p.m., June 11, June 24, Jul. 10, Jul. 23, Aug. 28
Where: Gallivan Plaza, 239 S. Main St., Salt Lake City
Hot House West, a local arts nonprofit aiming to create a vibrant trad-jazz scene in Utah, launches its first Joy in Rhythm festival this summer at Gallivan Center, featuring performances by Mina Thomas Brett & Old Soul, The State Street Stompers, Trash Moon Collective, The Western Stars, and The Hot House Swing Orchestra. Events happen throughout the summer, and feature buskers, food trucks, art vendors, free music, and swing dancing—but don’t worry if you don’t know how! Instructors will be on hand to teach you.
Heart and Soul Music Stroll Sugar House
When: 3-8 p.m., Sat. Jun. 13
Where: Atkin, Fillmore, and Glenmare Sts. (1530 E. 2700 S.), Salt Lake City
For the past 12 years, Heart and Soul Music Stroll has brought music into the streets (and parks, porches, and driveways) of Sugar House. This year, more than 40 acts perform, including the Sagebrush Betties, Pepper Rose, Bonnie and Wayne, Callanish, Cactus Jacque, the Dusty Roses, and Jazz Noir. The Stratford Street Big Band starts things off in Imperial Park, followed by outdoor concerts happening throughout the neighborhood, all afternoon long. At 7 p.m., bend back to Imperial Park for the finale concert with local alt-country outfit The Young Coots.
Live Music and Lemonade
When: 6 p.m., Tue., Jun. 16-Aug. 11
Where: Alta Peruvian Lawn, 10000 East Hwy. 210, Alta
Bring your own blanket and camp chair (and your own lemonade, if you like) for Live Music and Lemonade, a series of three free summer concerts high in the Wasatch Mountains. On Jun. 16, you can catch surf-rock revivalists Johnny Utah, followed by energetic Brazilian-American ensemble Brazuca on Jul. 14. Jordan Matthew Young, a native Utahn now based in Austin, finishes out the series on Aug. 11 with his bluesy take on alt-country/Americana.
4th Annual Mariachi Festival
When: 6-10 p.m., Sat, Jun. 20
Where: Delta Hall at the Eccles Theater, 131 S Main St., Salt Lake City
The Mariachi Festival celebrates Mexican culture in Utah, and performers range from little kids to seasoned touring professionals. This year, bands include Salt Lake-based youth ensemble Mariachi Fuego, whose musicians range from 11 to 17, as well as Mariachi Águilas de la Esperanza, elementary school-aged musicians affiliated with Academia Mis Raíces. Headlining is Karlysue y Los Charros, led by third-generation mariachi vocalists/violinists Karlysue Castillo Pereyra and Sam Castillo. In addition to the music, there will be ballet folklórico performances by Ballet Las Américas de Utah. Drop in at 5 p.m. when doors open to enjoy food carts and artist demos from Ramón Ramos and Clara Amezcua, who will create alebrijes (folk sculptures).
Moab Free Concert Series
When: 6-9 p.m., June 26, July 10, July 24, Aug. 7
Where: Swanny City Park, 400 N. 100 W., Moab
The Moab Free Concert Series nicely reflects the town’s creative, laid-back vibe, with a lineup of rootsy acts. On June 26, catch Eric Brors, followed by the Still House String Band. On July 10, catch legendary reggae band Black Uhuru, with folk band Mama Lingua opening. On July 24, Portland’s High Step Society brings its energetic, big band sound to Moab, with locals Alan + Valerie Brown opening. On Aug. 7, hear Samoan-Australian singer-songwriter Bobby Alu and the Moab-based “space cowboy” band, The Nanites.
City Library Summer Concert Series
When: Jul. 1-Sept. 24
Where: Anderson-Foothill, Chapman, Day-Riverside, Marmalade, and Sprague Libraries, Salt Lake City
If you are a card-carrying member of the Salt Lake City Library System, you may know about the plethora of free music you can hear as part of the library’s Summer Concert Series. If you belong to another library system, you might be learning this now. Never fear! You won’t have to show your library card to enter. Just show up to one of the libraries listed above on concert night (cool fact: Anderson-Foothill hosts shows at an amphitheater by a creek). The series is designed to encompass a wide range of genres; this year’s lineup includes Celtic music (Callanish); folk (Kate MacLeod); and electronica (fezmaster).
Holladay Summer Concerts
When: 8 p.m., Sat., July 4-Aug. 22
Where: Holladay City Park, 4580 S 2300 E, Holladay
Holladay Summer Concerts, a heartfelt municipal concert series, traditionally features a broad range of acts. This year’s slate includes Senxao (Latin); Code Blue Revival (Simon & Garfunkel tribute); Cold Creek (bluegrass); The Discographers (David Bowie tribute); Will Baxter (vocalist performing the works of Neil Diamond); Strawberry Fields (Beatles cover band); and Ronstadt (we’ll give you three guesses about who they’re covering!). As always, if you don’t want to end up with grass stains on your clothes (or a sore posterior), remember to bring your blanket or camp chair.
Concerts on the Slopes
When: 7 p.m., July 10-Aug. 29
Where: Amphitheatre at Canyons Village, 4000 Canyons Resort Dr., Park City
Don’t let the “buy tickets” button fool you—Concerts on the Slopes are free. However, you do have to reserve your spot, and your $0.00 ticket will help you do just that. The reason you need to reserve your seat? The series features national touring acts spanning all genres, from reggae to country, including Allen Stone, UB40, Boney James, Better than Ezra, Maoli, and, of course, for the finale on Aug. 29, multi-platinum pop star MAX.
Mondays in the Park
When: 7-9 p.m., July 13, 20, and 27; Aug. 3, 10, and 17
Where: Chase Home Museum, S Constitution Dr., Salt Lake City
The Living Traditions Festival only happens once a year, but you can still hear music performances from Utah’s many multicultural communities during Mondays in the Park. Held in front of the Chase Museum at the center of Liberty Park, the series showcases dancers and musicians from all over the world (as it has since 1987). Don’t forget to bring a blanket or camp chair, and be aware that the venue is in the paved part of the park—it can get very hot in July, so bringing a water bottle is advised.
