A list of mid-Michigan's free outdoor concerts, movies for summer of 2013

compiled by janet i. martineau

Saginaw, Midland and Bay City once again offer a long list of free outdoor concerts and movies this summer. All readers need to do is pack up a lawn chair or blanket and head on out to....

PRIDE’S Friday Night Live

5:30-9pm in Morley Plaza, next to the Temple Theater at 203 N. Washington in Saginaw. Those 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Food and drink vendors.

-- July 12, Classic Rock with The Beets, Byron in Motion.

-- July 19, Country with Tennessee Line

-- July 26 Latin with Conjunta Champz, Grupo Rodeo.

-- Aug. 2, Oldies with New Odyssey

-- Aug. 9, A Music Odyssey with Saginaw Elite Big Band, New Odyssey.

-- Aug. 16, Motown with Soul Street, Horizon

Country music singer Gary Allan

KCQ Country Music Fest

9-5pm Saturday, June 15, on Ojibway Island in Saginaw. (Section 98 seating $29.98, preferred gold seating $9.80, parking on island $15 -- rest of island free seating and parking off island free)
-- 11am, Steel Wheels Band

-- Noon, Maggie Rose

-- 1:30pm, Easton Corbin

-- 3:30pm, Gary Allan

-- Ongoing: arts and craft, food tent, beer tent, children’s play area.

Jazz in the Garden

7pm Wednesdays in the Andersen Enrichment Center Rose Garden, 120 Ezra Rust in Saginaw.

-- July 10, Brush Street With Julie Mulady

-- July 17, New Reformation Band

-- July 24, Cool Lemon Jazz Band

-- July 31, Saucecats

Old Saginaw City Lawn Chair Film Festival

Dusk on Sundays, corner of Ames and N. Hamilton.

-- July 7, Life of Pi

-- July 14, Searching for Sugarman

-- July 21, Moonrise Kingdom

-- July 28, Frankenweenie

-- Aug. 4, The Intouchables

-- Aug. 11, The Avengers

Tunes by the Tridge 

7-9 Thursdays by the Tridge in downtown Midland.

-- June 6, Cool Lemon Jazz, jazz

-- June 13, Muzyka!, pop and folk

-- June 20, Steel Wheels, modern country

-- June 27, The James Robert Band, Christian rock

-- July 4, The String Doctors, string/folk (5:30-7:30pm)

and The Sinclairs, rock (8-10pm)

-- July 11, Baytones, 16-piece big band

-- July 18, Second Time Around, 18-piece big band

-- July 25, The Resonators. percussion

-- Aug. 1, Empty Pockets, rock

-- Aug. 8, Battle of the Bands

Party on McCarty

Mostly 5:30-9pm Thursdays on the grounds of the Saginaw Township Soccer Complex, 3576 McCarty. Food vendors. Beer and wine tent. Concerts free but $5 for parking on site.

-- June 27, Classic Rock Night with Riptide, Under Advisement, Mike Pinera

-- June 28 (a Friday), Margarita Night with Sharrie Williams, Air Margaritaville

-- July 11, 80s Night with We’re Not Jimmy, Square Pegs

-- July 25, Hot Mix Night with Dani Vitany Ten Hands Tall Band, Cancel Monday

-- Aug. 8, Country Night with 25 Cent Beer Band, Mandy Layne & The Lost Highway

-- Aug. 22, Classic Hits Night with The Sinclairs, Toppermost

Frankenmuth Concerts in the Park

7pm Sundays at the Palmer Schau Platz in Memorial Park. Hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, strawberry shortcake, soft drinks for sale.

-- June 23, Elvis Tribute with Max Pellicano

-- June 30, Air Margaritaville, Jimmy Buffet tribute band

-- July 7, Bee Gees Stayin’ Alive Tribute Band

-- July 14, Frankie Valli Tribute with Paul Fracassi

-- July 21, Neil Diamond Tribute with Will Chalmers

-- July 28, Shania Twain Tribute with Donna Huber

-- Aug. 4, The Diamonds

-- Aug. 11, Serieux Band, hits of 60s and 70s.

Wednesdays in the Park

6-6:45pm opening act, 7-8:30pm headliner, Wenonah Park in downtown Bay City.

-- June 19, High School Jazz Bands and Act-So, Michigan Jazz Trail Big Band

-- June 26, Perry Woodard School of Dance, The Story of Rock –N- Roll (hits from the 1950’s)

-- July 17, The Savior’s Army, The Beat Club (music from the Beatles)

-- July 24, The Brian Carson Wolf Pack,  Simply Queen (music from Queen)

-- July 31, Dani Vitany & Ten Hands Tall, Shania Twain Tribute

-- Aug. 7, Operation 13, Greatest Hits Live Music from Styx and Journey

-- Aug, 14, Shining Star Dance Academy, Phil Dirt & The Dozers

6th Annual FreeMusic Fest

Noon to dusk Saturday, June 8, at the Tittabawassee Township Park in Freeland. 

A celebration of music and art, it features nine original blues, rock, country and jam bands; a disc golf tournament; interactive art activities, including a group mural and a communal rug, and a Michigan beer tasting tent.

Noon, Sins in Stereo
1pm, the Scott Hozzle Band
2pm, Timothy Hyde Project
3pm, Life Size Ghost
4pm, Bryan Rombalski and Three Worlds
5pm, Big Brother Smokes
6pm The Holy Gun
7pm, Thick As Thieves
8pm, The Macpodz

Saginaw Eddy Concert Band

7pm Sundays on Ojibway Island  in Saginaw unless otherwise noted. In case of rain, the concerts  move to the Saginaw Arts and Sciences  Auditorium, Genesee at N. Niagara.

-- June 16, Father’s Favorites, vocalists Peggy Knutson and Keith Kidder. At the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy. 

-- June 23, Marches and All That Jazz, vocalist Tony Serra

-- June 30, We Are America, vocalists Lora and Dave Keenan (also at 7pm Friday, June 28, at Shau Platz in Frankenmuth)

-- July 14, Great American Composers Part I, vocalists Peggy Knutson and Keith Kidder

-- July 21, Great American Composers Part II, vocalists Lora and Dave Keenan 

-- July 28, Musical Travelogue, vocalists Lora and Dave Keenan

-- Aug. 4, Exciting Entertainment, vocalists Rayechal Nieman and Tony Serra. In the SASA auditorium

-- Aug. 15 (a Thursday), “The Best of the Saginaw Eddy Concert Band. At the FirstMeritt Bank Pavilion across from TheDow Event Center, 303 Johnson.

Tittabawassee Twp. Concerts in the Park

7pm Wednesdays in Tittabawassee Township Park, 9200 Old Midland Road in Freeland.

-- June 12, The Beets, variety band

-- June 19, Butch Heath Country Classic (5-11pm)

-- July 10, The Hit Men, Chicago-style blues

-- July 17, the Sinclairs, rock/pop/oldies

-- July 24, Empty Pockets and Friends, variety

-- July 31, Steel Wheels, country

-- Aug. 7, Paisley Fogg, 60s rock

-- Aug. 14, Honesty and the Liars, rock/pop/blues

-- Aug. 21, Laurie Middlebrook, country

Laurie Middlebrook

Thomas Township Picnic in the Park

6:30-9pm Tuesdays in Roethke Park, 400 Leddy Road. Concessions.

-- June 18, Day 8 Band

-- June 25, Toppermost (Beatles tribute)

-- July 9, Brush Street

-- July 16, The Beets

-- July 23, Butch Heath

-- July 30, The Rock Show

-- Aug. 6, Laurie Middlebrook Band

-- Aug. 13, CEYX

-- Aug. 20, The Bullseye Band

Music From the Marsh

7-8pm Saturdays at Bay City Recreation Area, 3582 State Park Drive in Bay City. In case of rain, moves indoors at the adjacent Saginaw Bay Visitors Center.

-- June 15,  Jean Marie & The Ladds

-- June 22, Hoolie, "Great Lakes Maritime Blues"

-- June 29, Michael Deren, "The Past in Person--Lumberjack Shanty Boy"

-- July 6, Barb Barton

-- July 13, Lee Murdock, "Freshwater Highway"

-- July 20, John Latini, "Blues From the Delta to Detroit"

-- July 27, Chris Vallillo

-- Aug.3,  Dave Boutette, "Slipping Down the Spine of the Great Lake State"

--  Aug. 10, Siusan O'Rourke & Zig Zeitler, "Shamrocks of the Great Lakes"

--  Aug.17,  Muzyka, "Travelin' Through Michigan"

--  Aug. 24,  Elden Kelly, "Michigan Songbook: A Tradition of Beauty"

--  Aug. 31,  Dodworth Duo, "America's Past in Story & Song"

Classic Legacy Band

7:30pm at Andersen Enrichment Center, 120 Ezra Rust in Saginaw.

-- June 20

-- July 18

-- Aug. 15

Saginaw Wonderfest

Noon-8pm Aug. 24, FirstMerit Event Park across from TheDow Event Center, 303 Johnson in Saginaw. Food and entertainment TBA

Fridays at the Falls

6-7pm at Third Street Waterfall Park, Third and Water Streets in Bay City.

-- July 5, Scott Baker & The Universal Expressions, rock, blues, jazz

-- July 12, Dick Case & Friends, smooth jazz

-- July 19, Big Dreams, acoustic duo

-- July 26, The Toys, old-time rock

-- Aug. 2, Magic with Tommy Anderson

-- Aug. 9, Andy Reed, singer/songwriter

-- Aug. 16, Jeff Yantz & the No Name String Band, folk

-- Aug. 23, Josh Ramses Band

Dow Gardens in Midland

Technically these events are not free. The gardens at 1809 West St. Andrews sells a yearly pass for $10, which makes them close to free, or $5 per visit without purchase of the pass

noon to 1:30pm lunch time concerts in the birch grove

-- June 5, Brett Mitchell. pop/rock

-- June 12, Gabe and Tracey, variety

-- June 19 Muzyka!, Peter Paul and Mary Tribute

-- June 26, Tim Krause, guitarist

-- July 3, Stephen Colarelli, folk/rock

-- July 10, Antrim Dells, alternative rock

-- July 17, Bruce Winslow, acoustic classics

-- July 24, Blue Water Ramblers, Americana

-- July 31, Empty Pockets, soft rock

-- Aug. 7, Josh Ramses Band, classic rock

4-6pm the Sundays of July 7 and Aug. 4, music by members of the Folk Music Society of Michigan.