Summer festival season is here! This is the time of year that live music is released from the dark, late-night confines of nightclubs and bars and flows into the great outdoors. Pennsylvania is a great place for outdoor summertime music. We have blues festivals happening in rural cornfields, folk music under the stars at wineries, and multi-genre festivals in the hearts of our cities and towns.
This past weekend, the city of Harrisburg forgot about its fiscal crisis for a few days as it hosted the annual Artsfest in the scenic Riverfront Park. This festival kicked off the season in the state capital. Next up will be a wine festival to be held at Fort Hunter Park which will include live music as well. you will find events like these all over the state so you should have no trouble finding an event that suits your musical taste and budget. My personal favorite is the Briggs Farm Blues Festival near Nescopeck, PA which usually falls on or around my birthday in early July.
There is something great about kicking back in a grassy field at an outdoor concert with your friends and family. Hearing live music is always a worthwhile activity, but outdoor festivals really capture the vibe perfectly and can be a wonderful family activity. While many folks associate live music with the late night bar scene, which is fun but not really family friendly, these outdoor venues allow you to spread out a blanket, bring some snacks and let the kids enjoy the show too. Lots of times the kids are the most enthusiastic dancers in the audience. these events are a great way to expose kids how to good music as well as create priceless family memories. Of course, there is always the risk of inclement weather, but this is a small risk for the reward of music under the sky.
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