Summer concerts are an American tradition. In the not-so-distant past, towns and villages across the nation boasted town bands and bandstands in the village square or the park at the center of town. Music was a catalyst, drawing young and old alike to come together as a community. Outdoors, in the long twilight of warm summer nights, the concerts marked a time to relax, share a picnic supper and catch up with friends and neighbors.

The Park Authority has adopted this summer staple from small-town America to orchestrate a renewed sense of community in Fairfax County through the Summer Entertainment Series. The lineup for the Park Authority Summer Entertainment Series includes a wide array of performances from classical to bluegrass and everything in between. Some series offer wine tasting and sales, as well as food trucks.

Get ready to enjoy exciting, free performances from such acts as:

• Earth Wind & Fire tribute band at 7:30 p.m. on June 9 at Grist Mill Park (4710 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Alexandria)
• Tom Paxton and The Don Juans at 7:30 p.m. on June 18 at Mason District Park Amphitheater (6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale)
• Groovalicious at 6 p.m. on June 24 at Mosaic Live at Mosaic District (Strawberry Lane, Fairfax)
• Bill Kirchen at 7:30 p.m. on July 6 at Nottoway Park (9537 Courthouse Road, Vienna)

Search the entire lineup by performer name, style, location and date and find specific details regarding each series on the Park Authority’s Summer Entertainment Series website.

These free performances and movies are possible thanks to a strong partnership between Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Park Authority volunteers, business sponsors, individual donors and the Fairfax County Park Foundation.

Concerts are held outdoors and are canceled in case of inclement weather. Call 703-324-SHOW (7469) before leaving home for weather updates. Cancellations are recorded an hour before showtime.

This event is sponsored by the Fairfax County Park Foundation. The Fairfax County Park Foundation, a 501(c)(3), supports the Fairfax County Park Authority by raising private funds, obtaining grants, and creating partnerships that supplement tax dollars to meet our community’s needs for park land, facilities, and services. Visit the Fairfax County Park Foundation website at for more information or call 703-324-8582.