Heather Koontz
Summer is here! And in central Vermont, that means free concerts and community events are underway. Grab your picnics, check out the events below, and enjoy live music across the region.
BARRE
Every Wednesday through September, the Barre Partnership is hosting concerts in Currier Park. From 4 to 7 p.m., enjoy live music, food trucks, farmers market vendors, and connection in the heart of Barre.
CABOT
The 2026 Cabot Summer Music Series invites attendees to enjoy free live music and food trucks at the Cabot village common. Performances run from 6 to 7:15 p.m. on Tuesdays through Aug. 4. Vermont-based folk/jazz trio Chickweed will kick off the series on June 30, followed by a diverse selection of bluegrass, string, western, and rock artists.
MIDDLESEX
With two concerts a week, Camp Meade in Middlesex is celebrating summer through music, art, food, and drink. Concerts take place every Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. through Sept. 6.
From psychedelic Latin to bluesy folk, the Middlesex Bandstand has a wide array of musicians lined up for their summer concert series. Performances take place on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and include the Nick Cassarino Family Band (July 8), Skout (July 15), Sonido Mal Maiz (July 22), Borrow the Bones (July 29), and The Suitcase Junket (Aug. 5).
MONTPELIER
The Hunger Mountain Co-Op Brown Bag Summer Concert Series is back. Montpelier Alive’s free lunch-time concerts are held Thursdays from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Christ Episcopal Church courtyard. This year’s lineup includes diverse performances from musicians based in Vermont, New York, and beyond. The series kicks off July 8 with jazz fusion band Get Up With It.
A Montpelier tradition, the celebration will take place at the Statehouse on Friday, July 3. This year’s event features free concerts from Providence Drum Troupe, MINC the Band, and the Capital City Band. Plus, headliners Dave Keller and Johnny Rawls will perform from 7 to 9 p.m.
Morse Farm Maple Sugar Works will host the sixth annual Maple Roots Festival on Saturday, July 25. The event features numerous artists, two stages, kids areas, food, and — of course — maple creemees. Admission is free, but vehicle parking is $35.
WATERBURY
The Waterbury Rotary Club presents the 45th season of Concerts in the Park, now through Aug. 13. Performances occur Thursdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Rusty Parker Memorial Park. Enjoy Celtic folk tunes on July 16, Cajun dance music on Aug. 6, and so much more.
Three free concerts are coming to Jack’s Alley on Stowe Street in Waterbury. Catch Mal Maiz on June 26, La Lovo on July 24, and the Ray Vega Afro-Caribbean Jazz Ensemble on Aug. 21. All shows are from 6 to 9 p.m.
Waterbury Community Band
The Waterbury Community Band offers free concerts throughout the summer. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy an all-ages community band. Performances include July 7 and July 21 at the Waterbury Center Green park, July 25 at the Barre Heritage Festival, and Aug. 11 and 18 at Rusty Parker Memorial Park.
BEYOND
Shelburne Museum Summer Nights
If you’re up for a drive outside of central Vermont, check out the free summer music series at Shelburne Museum. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on each concert date, guests can enjoy live music, food trucks, and family-friendly activities. Burlington’s string band The Tenderbellies will perform on June 25, followed by indie-soul singer/songwriter Myra Flynn on July 23 and the Ray Vega Afro-Caribbean Jazz Ensemble on Aug. 27.
