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Fabulous & Free Summer Music 2023

Once again the free summer music concerts are coming to the area and this year includes an incredible variety with little repetition. Below you will find listings for Ukiah, Cloverdale, Healdsburg, Windsor, Santa Rosa and Guerneville. All these musical offerings are free and open to the public. If you wanted to you could keep yourself entertained almost continuously for the price of the gas to get there. 

Those who love music realize how blessed we are and those who like to people-watch are not far behind in their appreciation of these very social events. Without the constraints of major Covid fears, towns are roaring back with a super abundance of offerings. What a difference a year makes. So pack a picnic basket or backpack, grab a couple of folding fabric chairs and get ready to let the good times roll.

Kicking off the season is Cloverdale with Friday Night in their downtown plaza on May 29th. The street fair that includes lots of great food, beverages and artisan vendors starts at 6 with the music starting at 7 and running until 9:30. First band of this season will be The Wreckless Strangers California Americana Soul. Chris Jones and the Night Drivers will be on hand June 2 with their driving bluegrass. June 9th Clave Trebol with his upbeat Sierreno Norteno dance band. June 16 the Polyrhythmics Progressive Funk mixes psychedelic rock with modern afro beats. June 23 the “rebellious troubadour” David Luning performs all original songs. June 30 The Pulsators come on with their rocking rhythm and blues. July 7 the Nth Power trio delivers New Orleans soul and R&B. July 14 Quitapenas (means to remove worries) Afro Latin will do just that. July 21 the Shinyribs swamp funk combines Texas Blues, New Orleans R&B funk and Memphis soul- a big sound with a ten piece super-group. July 28 Roy Rogers and the Delta Rhythm Kings Slide Blues Guitar is a perennial favorite. Aug. 4 Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble bring Creole bluesy vocals and hard driving Zydeco beat. August 11 The Young Dubliners Celtic Rock 5 piece progressive rock band. August 18 The Dune Dogs bring their Carolina Country-fried Swamp n’ Roll, August 25 The Coffis Brothers Rootsy Rock with a blend of folk, country and rock dance music. Final performance of Friday Night Live on September 1 La Gente SF with Salsa, Cumbia and Reggaeton create an infectious high-energy dance party.

Hard on the heels of Cloverdale, Healdsburg kicks off their Tuesdays in the Plaza May 30-Aug. 29 6-8. May 30 Club 90- 1990’s and beyond. June 6 Cosmo Alleycats with Vintage Jazz and Swing. June 13 Laura Benitez and the Heartache original roots music. June 20 Carlitos Medran of Sabor De Mi Cuba afro-Cuban jazz. June 27 Neon Velvet 80’s and 90’s new wave/pop/rock. July 11 Wreckless Strangers CA Americana Soul. July 18 DGIIN with fusion jazz/world fusion. July 25 The John Santos Sextet Afro-Latin Jazz Fusion. August 1 Eddie 9V Modern Blues. August 8 Danny Click and The Hell Yeahs Rock Americana. Los Pinguos with Nuevo Canto (new song) and Folk Rock. August 22 Free Peoples Americana and Folk Rock. August 29 Special Guest TBA. Also this summer Healdsburg will be sponsoring local bands and performers on Sundays in the Plaza from June 4- Aug. 13 1-3 also free to the public- bring a picnic!

Ukiah kicks in June 11- Aug. 20 at Todd Grove Park 6 PM Showtime. June 11 Royal Jelly Jive sultry gypsy jazz. June 25 Earl Thomas The Blues Ambassador. July 9 Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra featuring Terrie Odabi soulful funky blues. July 23 The Expendables with the Mystic Roots Band and Lake Anthony Santa Cruz Reggae Band. August 3 Los Pingous Latin rhythm and flamenco. August 20 Poor Man’s Whiskey high-octane bluegrass/rock/hootenanny. Not to overlook our near neighbor Willits has its Annual Car and Bike Show in May on Memorial Day in their Recreation Grove which also features live music, food and games. Also in Willits in July their famed Frontier Days.

Windsor starts their outdoor concert series in Boardwalk Park on June 1 6:30-8:30 with Funky Business. June 8 Smokin’ classic rock. June 15 The Parlor Pickers country. June 22 Dale Cisek Band (variety). June 29 Michael Morrow and The Culprits classic rock. July 13 Not Quite Brothers 70’s and 80’s covers. July 20 Hand Turkey Band Groove. July 27 Stumble Monkey rock/funk. August 3 Ken Earl and the Shameless country. August 10 Heart n’ Soul (variety). August 17 5280’s (80’s covers).

Moving South, Sebastopol will sponsor a series of concerts in multiple locations under the heading of Peacetown Summer Concert Series beginning June 14- check them out online. Santa Rosas' Summer on the Square concert series takes place on Fridays at 6 PM downtown. June 16 Salsa Rock Orquesta. June 23 School of Rock House Band. June 30 The Sorentinos and the Thugz. July 7 Dustin Saylor Band and Quiet Time. July 14 Sol Horizon and Simone Mosely. July 21 Super Jam featuring the Pulsators and special guest. July 28 La Gente SF. Beer, Wine and Food available. Santa Rosa also has a free family night outdoor movie series on Monday nights at 6 in their Plaza downtown. July 10 Puss in Boots, July 17 Sonic Hedgehog. July 24 Dora and the Lost City of Gold. July 31 Ralph Breaks the Internet.

Never to be forgotten Guerneville is putting all their eggs in one basket to celebrate Rockin’ the River for the 150th birthday of Guerneville, the 100th birthday of their bridge and the 10th year of Rockin’ the River concerts. Put Saturday August 20th 1-7:30 on your calendar for what will undoubtedly be quite a show in the Lark’s Parking Lot. Watch for the Sun Kings tribute to the Beatles, Grupo Café Canelas for a Cumbia, Bachata, and Salsa dance party, Carlos Reyes fierce virtuosic electric violin and Paraguayan harp and The Jim Ocean Band’s environmental rock “Frankenclime”.

No matter how you slice it music lovers have a feast laid out for them that would be hard to beat especially for the price which is absolutely zero dollars and zero cents. Sure it’s always easier to stay home, but once you get to where the music is playing and the people are swaying you know you’re always glad you came. The spirit lifting power of live music never dies. You only need to look at that three year old bouncing by the bandstand to know that he’s got the music in him and we’ve all got the music in us too! See you in Cloverdale.

2 Comments

  1. Eddie Graham May 28, 2023

    Thank you so much, Terry Sites, for gathering all this information and putting it together for us! As we prepare for a summer of music and fun, it’s a big help to have all this groundwork already done to help us know where to be when. Happy summer to you!

  2. Eddie Graham May 28, 2023

    Oh, I just discovered that the Guerneville celebration described in the next to the last paragraph was LAST year. Guess we missed it!

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