In Highlands, music feels less like something added to the evening and more like part of the season itself.
As summer settles over the plateau, Friday and Saturday nights bring people into the heart of town. A fiddle tune carries across Town Square. A dance band warms up in Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park. Chairs unfold, blankets spread across the grass, and the night opens with music.
From May through September, the Outdoor Concert Series brings free live music to Highlands nearly every weekend. It is one of the simplest ways to experience the town as it is meant to be enjoyed: outdoors, at your own pace, and in good company.
Friday Night Live
Town Square | Fridays, May 15 through September 25
Friday Night Live belongs to the center of town. The series leans into bluegrass, country, Americana, and acoustic traditions, with music that carries the sound of the mountains and pairs naturally with a summer evening downtown.
2026 Schedule:
- May 15: Foxfire Boys
A bluegrass group with deep Appalachian roots, formed through The Foxfire Fund’s culture and music program in Northeast Georgia. - May 22: Silly Ridge
A Highlands-based favorite known for lively bluegrass, familiar songs, and an easygoing dose of musical fun. - May 29: Andrew Wakefield & Friends
A Western North Carolina bluegrass musician with a strong guitar voice, blending old and new with plenty of heart. - June 5: John Webb
A seasoned country performer with a warm, laid-back sound and a gift for classic storytelling. - June 12: Young Mountain Magic
A young bluegrass powerhouse from Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina, bringing fresh energy to Appalachian tradition. - June 19: Shortoff Mountain Boys
A local bluegrass group with tight harmonies, strong picking, and the kind of stage presence that gets people moving. - June 26: Doug Ramsey
A soulful entertainer with Detroit roots, covering everything from jazz standards and Motown influences to crowd-request favorites. - July 3: Spare Parts Bluegrass Band
A Walhalla-based bluegrass band known for high-energy playing, seasoned musicianship, and close harmonies. - July 10: Blackwell Tradition II
A North Georgia bluegrass group carrying forward the legacy of Curtis Blackwell with heartfelt vocals and traditional sound. - July 17: Foxfire Boys
A return performance from this Appalachian-rooted bluegrass group. - July 24: Byrds & Crows
A Western North Carolina acoustic band blending folk, bluegrass, old country, Americana, and original songs. - July 31: Nitrograss
A high-energy Appalachian acoustic band led by two-time national banjo champion Charles Wood, known for bluegrass with drive and flair. - August 7: John Webb
A return evening of classic country, Southern charm, and relaxed storytelling. - August 14: McClain Family Band
A celebrated bluegrass family band founded in Kentucky, with performances across all 50 states and around the world. - August 21: Shawn Lane Trio
Led by three-time GRAMMY nominee and 28-time IBMA Award winner Shawn Lane, this trio brings masterful musicianship and soulful vocals. - August 28: Spare Parts Bluegrass Band
A return performance from this Upstate bluegrass band with strong harmonies and lively pickers. - September 4: Silly Ridge
A Highlands favorite returns with bluegrass, familiar tunes, and a spirited local feel. - September 11: Byrds & Crows
A return performance of mountain-made folk, bluegrass, Americana, and old country sounds. - September 18: Blackwell Tradition II
A return evening of North Georgia bluegrass rooted in tradition and family legacy. - September 25: Shortoff Mountain Boys
Friday Night Live closes the season with strong local bluegrass, harmony, and plenty of old country heat.
Saturdays on Pine
Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park | Saturdays, May 16 through September 26
Saturdays on Pine brings the weekend to Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park with classic rock, beach music, country, funk, Motown, retro favorites, and high-energy bands made for the lawn.
2026 Schedule:
- May 16: LazrLuvr
A neon-bright tribute to the sound and style of the 1980s, full of retro energy and familiar hits. - May 23: The Parks Brothers
Led by brothers Bradley and Brandon Parks, this high-energy band moves through 90s favorites, beach tunes, country, and dance-floor medleys. - May 30: SNAP
A compact, high-energy quartet bringing funk, pop, R&B, hip-hop, pop-punk, and classic rock into one lively set. - June 6: The American Flyers
A seasoned group of career musicians performing radio favorites and dance-floor hits from across the decades. - June 13: U-neek Flav’ur
A dynamic show band with powerhouse vocals, tight harmonies, choreography, saxophone, and a genre-spanning setlist. - June 20: Groove Machine
A 70s tribute band built around nostalgic grooves, polished musicianship, and good-time energy. - June 27: No concert scheduled
- July 4: Southside Station
A five-piece band of veteran musicians playing pop, rock, dance, country, and singer-songwriter favorites. - July 11: Blaze the City
A lively band known for vocal harmonies, funky rhythms, and a mix of pop, funk, rock, country, blues, and Motown. - July 18: Moon Dance
An all-star Atlanta ensemble with a wide-ranging song list, from swing to disco and plenty in between. - July 25: Bourbon Sons
A Carolina country band bringing big guitars, tight harmonies, and familiar country hits from across the decades. - August 1: Yacht Rando
A soft-rock tribute with a love for the golden age of vacation, mellow grooves, and yacht-rock ease. - August 8: Blake Ellege + The Resonators
A classic country band with fiddle, guitar, doghouse bass, and pedal steel, led by award-winning artist Blake Ellege. - August 15: No concert scheduled
- August 22: Will Thompson Band
A polished, high-energy band known for strong live sound and joyful, professional musicianship. - August 29: No concert scheduled
- September 5: Diverse Groove
A versatile show band covering Top 40, beach music, Motown, R&B, rock, dance, and reggae. - September 12: High 5
A Highlands-area group blending rock, blues, Americana, bluegrass, country, and jazz into an easygoing local sound. - September 19: Boogitherapi
An Asheville-based party band led by AVL Funk Soldier Ryan Barber, bringing funk, dance music, smooth jazz, and high-energy grooves. - September 26: Darren Nicholson Band
Led by 11-time IBMA award winner Darren Nicholson, this Western North Carolina band blends bluegrass, folk, gospel, and swing.
Make an Evening of It
Plan to arrive early and let the evening build around the music. Enjoy dinner in town, walk Main Street, or find your place on the lawn before the first song begins.
Before you go: Concert details may change due to weather or scheduling updates. Check the official Outdoor Concert Series page before making plans.