Celebrate summer with outdoor concerts
What says summertime fun better than breaking bread with friends or family while enjoying live musical performances in a scenic outdoor setting? Southern California offers an array of opportunities to celebrate summertime at several outdoor concerts around the region, some are even free.
Within a short drive from the Coachella Valley you can enjoy a quintessential summertime experience — a picnic and/or a libation with live music under the stars at these outdoor concert venues.
Jazz in the Pines
Enjoy jazz in pine-scented air and cool alpine breezes at the 21st annual Idyllwild Jazz in the Pines on Aug. 16 and 17 held on the grounds of Idyllwild Arts Academy. Food and wine, draft beer and margaritas are available for purchase, no picnics allowed.
Tickets are $65 per day, with more than 25 acts on three stages. Parking is free, with shuttles running from the center of town. A patrons package at $250 includes admission to a BBQ Dinner Dance Party Friday, Aug. 15, preferred parking and seating, and a ticket to each day of the of the festival.
With three different venues, the line-up is packed with talented musicians, many playing at overlapping times so check idyllwildjazz.com for the schedule to plan your jazz itinerary:
Below is a brief snapshot of highlights during the two-day fest:
Aug. 16:
Main Stage: Yve Evans
French Quarter: Black Swan Blues
Stephens Hall: Paul Carman’s Quartet Plus One
Aug. 17:
Main Stage: Casey Abrams & Marshall Hawkins
French Quarter: The Gregg Jones Band
Stephens Hall: Jazz Grass
Redlands Bowl Concert Series
Celebrating its 91st season, the Redlands Bowl Summer Concert Series is a Southern California tradition with free live concerts in a setting under the stars.
Concerts start at 8:15 p.m. There is plenty of seating, for up to 6,000 with the lawn. You can bring a picnic, but no dogs are allowed.
The series continues in August with this line up:
Aug. 1, 2
“Hairspray”
Aug. 5
California Guitar Trio
Aug. 8
Redlands Symphony Orchestra: “Virtuosity Plus,” conducted by Frank Paul Fetta
Aug. 12
Nancy Celeste Walker: “A Tribute to the Legendary Women of Country Music”
Aug. 15
The Marcus Roberts Trio: “I’ve Got Rhythm”
Aug. 19
The Glenn Miller Orchestra
Aug. 22
Redlands Symphony Orchestra: “Classical Favorites,” conducted by Frank Paul Fetta. This final concert of the 2014 season concludes with fireworks.
Thornton Winery Champagne Jazz Series
What could be better than bubbly and cool jazz on balmy evenings? That’s what you’ll enjoy at the annual Champagne Jazz Series at Temecula’s Thornton Winery.
Perched on a hill surrounded by vineyards, guests at Thornton’s Jazz Series can enjoy performances by award-winning jazz greats while sipping the winery’s champagne or wine paired with a variety of menu choices. The setting is fairly intimate with a capacity audience of 600.
As there are so few tickets for each performance, best to purchase your tickets as early as possible. Most of the concerts offer a prix fixe gourmet dinner package but with the general admission ticket you can order off the menu.
The jazz series began in June and continues through Oct. 19. Here’s what’s coming up in August; check the website for full schedule.
Aug. 2, 7 p.m.
Bobby Caldwell & Keiko Matsui
Aug. 23, 7 p.m.
Trombone Shorty – Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Aug. 24, 5 p.m.
Al Jarreau
Spreckels Organ Concerts in Balboa Park
The free Spreckles Organ concerts in San Diego’s Balboa Park are just one more reason to escape to the coast sometime this summer. The Spreckels Organ is one of the world’s largest outdoor pipe organs. It contains 4,530 pipes ranging in length from the size of a pencil to 32 feet and is housed in an ornate vaulted structure with embellished gables. Since 1917, San Diego has had a civic organist, who performs free weekly Sunday concerts. Check https://www.balboapark.org for the full concert schedule.
Housed in the Spreckels Pavilion, the Spreckels weekly concerts are held at 2 p.m. Sundays and performed by Dr. Carol Williams, the San Diego Civic Organist and artistic director of the Spreckels Organ Society.
Also, the Summer International Organ Festival will present free organ concerts at 7:30 each Monday evening through August. Picnics are welcomed at both concert series.
Aug. 4
Stewart Wayne Foster, Director of Music and Organist of the Royal Poinciana Chapel in Palm Beach, Fla.
Aug. 11
Kimberly Marshall
Aug. 18
Donald McKenzie – Silent movie night
Aug. 25
Carol Williams & Moonlight Serenade Orchestra – Come Dancing! Season finale
Resources
Idyllwild Jazz in the Pines: (951) 500-4090, idyllwildjazz.com
Redlands Bowl: (909) 793-7316, redlandsbowl.com
Spreckles Organ in Balboa Park: (619) 702-8138, https://www.balboapark.org/performing-arts/spreckels-organ
Thornton Winery Champagne Jazz Series: (951) 699-0099, thorntonwine.com