Music that's outdoors and free: Your guide to Door County concerts in the parks

DOOR COUNTY - Almost no matter the day of the week, music fans in Door County have a chance to take in a free concert while relaxing on the lawn during the summer.

Complementing the wide range of music offered by professional musicians at the Peninsula's traditional concert venues − Door Community Auditorium, Peninsula Music Festival, Midsummer's Music, Birch Creek Music Performance Center, Fishstock − are the "concerts in the park" held six nights a week in six communities.

So, grab some lawn chairs or blankets to sit on − you will need them if you want to sit at the parks − bring along a picnic or hit up a nearby food truck or restaurant for supper, and get ready to check out the sounds from local, regional and national artists in seven different park concert series. Any night of the week except Saturday, and twice on Wednesdays. All for free.

Here's a look at Door County's concerts in the parks in 2023 (all shows subject to change).

Sundays: Sunset Concert Series, Egg Harbor

This series at the Peg Egan Performing Arts Center, an outdoor amphitheater in Eames Cherry View Park, might not really be considered a typical "concerts in the park" series because the village has another such series.

But like the others, Sunset Concert Series admission is free and it does take place in a park. And what makes it stand out is it annually draws some of the county's largest audiences (2,000 or more) to hear its lineup of award-winning touring and recording artists, most of who record and tour nationally and internationally.

Some of the acts are new to Door County, while some are returning favorites who've played this series or at other venues on the Peninsula. Award-winning and Grammy-nominated bluegrass duo Dailey & Vincent have played the Egan PAC every year the series has taken place since 2012, and Celtic rock band Skerryvore played the series last year among its other appearances here.

All concerts start at 7 p.m. Sundays at the Peg Egan PAC, 7840 Church St., one block east of State 42. The outdoor amphitheater offers sweeping landscapes and sunsets over the harbor, with room for more than 2,000 concertgoers. In case of rain, performances will be held under a tent at the Alpine Resort, on County G on the south side of the village.

For more information, call 920-493-5979 or visit eggharbordoorcounty.org or facebook.com/PegEganPAC. Updates, including concert status because of bad weather, will be posted to the Facebook page.

The concerts are:

• June 18: Blend of Indian music with blues and folk from Harry Manx

• June 25: a cappella group Naturally 7 with opener Zenshin Daiko, a 10-piece children's group from Hawaii

• July 2: Masters of Soul, a tribute to 1960s Motown with costumes, choreography and a full band

• July 9: Brass Transit, a Chicago tribute band playing their horn-driven hits of the '70s

• July 16: Dailey & Vincent, award-winning and Grammy-nominated bluegrass duo, back for an 11th straight season

• July 23: Door County All Stars, featuring three popular local groups (Jimmy Kaplan and Friends, Dorothy Scott with guest Hans Christian, Big Mouth and the Power Tool Horns) plus the Egan PAC's annual visual art fundraiser raffle

• July 30: The Brother Brothers, folk music by twin brothers Adam and David Moss

• Aug. 6: Award-winning all-female folk trio The Wailin' Jennys

• Aug. 13: Fusion of pop-rock with traditional Scottish and Celtic sounds and instruments from Skerryvore

• Aug. 20: Powerful pop female quartet Righteous Babes

• Aug. 27: Americana and pop from Six One Five Collective

• Sept. 3: Serbian blues singer and guitar slinger Ana Popovic

Mondays: Evenings in Ephraim

The Evenings in Ephraim series runs from 6 to 8 p.m. Mondays at the gazebo in Harborside Park, 9986 Water St. (State 42), this year in conjunction with the village's new "Bondemarked" farmers market starting at 4 p.m. next to The Red Putter. Rain location is Village Hall, across the street from the park. For updates or more information, call 920-854-4989 or visit ephraim-doorcounty.com, facebook.com/EphraimDoorCounty or instagram.com/ephraim_wi.

• June 19: Swing, oldies, polka and more with Eddie Larsen’s Classic Memories Band

• June 26: Dixieland and swing with Talk of the Town

• July 3: Guitarist/vocalist Jeanne Kuhns and guitarist George Sawyn

• July 10: Vocal jazz with the Erin Krebs Quartet

• July 17: Local blues-rock favorite Mighty Mouth

• July 24: Folk, bluegrass, blues and originals with former Cherry Pickers bandmates (John) Lewis & (Terry) Murphy

• July 31: Jazz to pop and more with Spike and April

• Aug. 7: Nationally touring singer-songwriter Zachary Scot Johnson

• Aug. 14: Local touring singer-songwriter Zephyr Ciesar

• Aug. 21: Originals and covers from indie-folk duo Seth and Mb

• Aug. 30: Popular local folk singer/songwriter Katie Dahl with guest string instrumentalist Eric Lewis

Tuesdays: Fish Creek

The Fish Creek Concerts in the Park series takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays (except July 4) at Noble Square, 4167 Wisconsin 42 (Main Street and Wisconsin 42). In case of rain, concerts will move to Old Gibraltar Town Hall, about a block away at Spruce and Maple streets; updates will be posted on the "Visit Fish Creek" Facebook page. For more information, call 920-868-2316 or visitfishcreek.com.

• June 20: Chicago blues-rock guitarist Keith Scott

• June 27: Rock with The Cherry Tones

• July 11: Dixieland and swing with Talk of the Town

• July 18: Nationally touring singer-songwriter Zachary Scot Johnson

• July 25: Birch Creek Jazz Ambassadors

• Aug. 1: Local blues-rock favorite Mighty Mouth

• Aug. 8: Birch Creek Jazz Ambassadors

• Aug. 15: Guitarist/vocalist Jeanne Kuhns and guitarist George Sawyn

• Aug. 22: Folk, bluegrass, blues and originals with former Cherry Pickers bandmates (John) Lewis & (Terry) Murphy

Wednesdays: Harmony By the Bay, Sturgeon Bay

A range of local to national acts take the stage for Harmony By the Bay concerts at 7 p.m. Wednesdays at Martin Park, South Third Avenue and Oregon Street, Sturgeon Bay. For more information, call 920-743-6246 or visit sturgeonbay.net.

• June 14: Americana rock with Belgian Silo Experience

• June 21: Classic and contemporary rock and country covers with Carbon Road

• June 28: Classic rock with Glas Hamr

• July 5: Blues and R&B with the Big Mouth Trio featuring Woody Mankowski

• July 12: Rock with Conscious Pilot

• July 19: Classic and original garage rock with local favorites Bacchus Lotus

• July 26: Classic rock with Annex

• Aug. 2: Pop-rock cover band The Third Wheels

• Aug. 16: Rock hits from the '70s to today with Dr. Bombay

• Aug. 23: Classic rock harmonies and original blues-rock with String Benders

• Aug. 30: New Orleans-flavored R&B from Brass Differential

• Sept. 6: Accordion-driven polka-swamp rock with Copper Box

Wednesdays: Sister Bay

Regional favorites are joined by several national touring bands when the village holds its Concerts in the Park at 6 p.m. Wednesdays (except where noted) in the pavilion at Waterfront Park, along with free family-friendly movies there at dusk each Sunday in July. For more information, call 920-854-2812 or visit sisterbay.com/events.

• June 21: Country music by Modern Day Drifters

• June 28: Funky bluegrass with Armchair Boogie

• July 5: Accordion-driven polka-swamp rock with Copper Box

• July 12: Chicago band Mungion blends everything from jazz and rock to Latin, classical and metal

• July 19: Alt-rockabilly from Nashville with Hillbilly Casino

• July 26: Birch Creek Jazz Ambassadors (2:30 p.m.)

• July 26: R&B and soul with the People Brothers Band

• July 27 (Thursday): Peninsula Symphonic Band (7 p.m.)

• Aug. 2: Reggae with Unity the Band

• Aug. 9: Birch Creek Jazz Ambassadors (2:30 p.m.)

• Aug. 9: Indie rock from New York with Brother Moses

• Aug. 16: Dance to country and polka sounds from the Bittorf Brothers Band

• Sept. 2 (Saturday): Frank Maloney & His Big Country Unit

Thursdays: Egg Harbor

Along with the Sunset Concert Series noted above, the village also hold its traditional Concerts in the Park series at 5 p.m. Thursdays in a terrace setting at Harbor View Park, 7809 State 42. Carry-in picnics are welcome. The concerts will move elsewhere in case of rain but locations will vary; check the "Egg Harbor Door County" Facebook page for updates. For more information, call 920-868-3717 or visit eggharbordoorcounty.org.

• June 15: Blues-rock with Dave Steffen and Craig Neuser

• June 22: Chicago blues-rock guitarist Keith Scott

• June 29: Americana, rock and country covers with Two Souls

• July 6: Rock with The Cherry Tones

• July 13: Guitarist/vocalist Jeanne Kuhns and guitarist George Sawyn

• July 20: Local blues-rock favorite Mighty Mouth

• July 27: Birch Creek Jazz Ambassadors

• Aug. 3: "Sunny-day" acoustic music with Matt Wahl

• Aug. 10: Dixieland and swing with Talk of the Town

• Aug. 17: Jazz to pop and more with Spike and April

Fridays: Baileys Harbor

The community's Friday night park concerts take place at a new time this year, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Kendall Park at Baileys Harbor Town Hall, 2392 County F at State 42. A full schedule is not yet available, but the opening concert of the season has nationally touring singer-songwriter Zachary Scot Johnson playing June 23. For more information, call 920-839-2366 or visit baileysharbor.com.

Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.

MORE: Goats, lighthouses, fire balls, beer, wine and LGBTQ+ pride: June festivals in Door County

MORE: Eight farmers markets are running in Door County this summer. Here's what you need to know

FOR MORE DOOR COUNTY NEWS: Check out our website

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Free, outdoor music: Your guide to Door County concerts in the parks