Summer of the Arts: Friday and Saturday Night Concert Series Kicks Off May 17 and 18

Media Release

Summer of the Arts’ Friday and Saturday Night Concert Series kicks off May 17 and 18. In collaboration with the University of Iowa’s Hancher, the Friday Night Concert Series kicks off with Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience. Saturday Night’s concert features the Iowa City West High and City High Jazz Ensembles.

“We are thrilled with the line-up of our weekend concerts this year, and especially excited to bring such a well-known artist as Terrance Simien to downtown Iowa City to kick off the Friday Night Concert Series while still being able to provide a fabulous stage for our talented high school students on Saturday night,” said Lisa Barnes, Summer of the Arts Executive Director.

Summer of the Arts is expanding this summer, offering 30 free, family-friendly concerts in the heart of downtown Iowa City on the Pedestrian Plaza’s Weatherdance Fountain Stage outside of the Sheraton Iowa City Hotel. The Friday Night Concert Series has been extended to run through September and will include Hawkeye Hometown Huddles before the Sept. 6 and 20 concerts to get people fired up for the Hawkeye games the next day. Weekly concerts feature live music performed by some of Johnson County’s best local musicians from 6:30-9:30 p.m.

The Saturday Night Concert Series, presented by the Iowa City Downtown District and Integrated DNA Technologies, runs May 18-Aug. 24 at the same location from 6:30-9 p.m. It provides another opportunity for families to come downtown and enjoy a mix of favorite local bands as well as up and coming regional bands like The Beaker Brothers, Adam Ezra Group, Bonne Finken and Tony Brown & the Earth Riddim Band. 

The rain location for both of these weekend concert series is the lower level of the Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp at Washington and Gilbert Streets. If a concert is moved to the rain location, it will be announced by 4 p.m. and posted on the Summer of the Arts website and social media. For more information, including the full schedule and performer bios, visit www.summerofthearts.org or call (319) 337-7944.

The City of Iowa City’s Summer of the Arts is an umbrella organization for local arts and culture events, including the Iowa Arts Festival presented by Veridian Credit Union, MusicIC, Iowa City Jazz Festival presented by the University of Iowa Community Credit Union, Iowa Soul Festival presented by Diversity Focus, Friday Night Concert Series, Saturday Night Concert Series presented by the Iowa City Downtown District and Integrated DNA Technologies, and Free Movie Series presented by M.C. Ginsberg Jewelers & UI Pentacrest Museums.