JMN's Summer Music guide ... shows free and outdoors!

So here it is once again! -- the 2018 version of my annual post about the many, many summer outdoor music options we have in Portland. It's going to sound a lot like (in fact, mostly exactly like) the previous years, as there's a lot of text recycling with refreshed links.

Something I truly love about Portland in the summer is that there's music in the parks, plazas, and other outdoor venues all over town and the surrounding communities. Does summer get any better than this?

As I've said before (ad nauseum), when it comes to live music outdoors in summer, we really do have an amazing number of choices, so there's no excuse for not catching some great music throughout the summer.

I'd like to first note some of the free music out and about in the region ... and, as nothing is really free, remember most of it is paid for by the generous sponsorship of local businesses (who you should thank and support), and in many cases your generous contributions at the shows.

I'll do a separate post on the wealth of great summer shows for which you'll actually need to purchase a ticket. But first the free ...

Portland Parks and Recreation's Summer Free for All: Concerts and Movies in the Parks! This is a huge series with over a dozen city parks having evening concerts throughout the summer. Shows kickoff on Friday, July 6. I've had a ton of fun being one of the organizers of Sellwood Riverfront Park series. This summer we'll our Monday evening lineup is going to be a lot of fun:  Farnell Newton & The Othership Connection, Lloyd Jones with special guest LaRhonda Steele, Skybound Blue, and Sabroso! Our first show is July 9 at 6:30 pm. These are community events that are a blast. So, find your local park (or venture further!), bring a picnic dinner (or patronize the food vendor/sponsors), bring a blanket or chairs, and enjoy. Nothing better on a summer's eve! Also note that there is music before each of the scheduled Movies in the Park - another 50 or so nights to catch music (and a film) for free in a Portland park this summer.

For all of you who are downtown in Portland for your work week (or if you just like slacking downtown), there a some fine musical opportunities, like:

Music on Main is a great Wednesday series that begins July 11 on Main Street between the Schnitz and the Performing Arts Center. As usual, it has a fine lineups of bands this summer.

Pioneer Square has another year of Noon Tunes - every Tuesday at noon - July 10 to August 28.

Then there are street fairs - for instance, Mississippi Street Fair (Saturday, July 14), the Alberta Street Fair (Saturday, Aug 11), and the Hawthorne Street Fair (Sunday, Aug 26) ... and of course, Last Thursday on Alberta.

There's the annual Cathedral Park Jazz Festival - three days of great music ... free in St John's - July 20-22.

Bands playing outside at bars ... too many possibilities to list. Living in Sellwood, it's always a treat to see bands set up outside of Kay's on the corner of SE Bybee and Milwaukie.

But Portland isn't the only city in the area that has an abundance of free music ... check out these summer concert schedules:

Milwaukie has on music at its Farmer's Market on Sunday, Wednesday evening concerts at Ball-Michel Park, Thursday evening concerts in Ardenwald Park, and First Friday concerts all around downtown Milwaukie. This year the Wednesday afternoon series at Scott Park are on hiatus due to construction at Ledding Library.

Lake Oswego hosts sixteen concerts spread among Millennium Plaza Park, Foothills Park and Westlake Park through the summer - Wednesday and Sunday evenings.

West Linn has a Thursday night series at Tanner Creek Park beginning July 26.

Oregon City also has a Thursday night series at the End of the Oregon Trail starting on July 12.

Hillsboro has music every Tuesday night at the Hillsboro Marketplace starting at 5:30 pm.

Tualatin Hills Parks and Rec spreads music around a number of parks on Thursdays.

Vancouver has a Thursday evening and a Wednesday noon series downtown in Esther Short Park and a new Sunday series at the Columbia Tech Center. Cool sounds in the 'Couve!

Also, a good event calendar to check for more:
PDX Pipeline - links to different categories of events and they send out a weekly post with things to do. This link will bring up events in their calendar tagged "music."

I'm sure there's even more free outdoor music out there for you to discover.

Go for it and have a great summer!