The Town of Herndon is expanding its summer programming this year with a new “Town Square Tuesdays” concert series.
The free, outdoor concerts will kick off next Tuesday, June 17 on Herndon’s Town Square patio (730 Station Street) with Mystic Warriors, a band based in the D.C. area that plays Andean music.
“We look forward to welcoming our community with great music and lawn games right in the heart of our Town,” Herndon Chief Communications Officer Brent Heavner told FFXnow.
According to Heavner, Town Square Tuesdays was developed in response to interest in the community “in having more local events.”
Typically, summers in Herndon have been dominated by Friday Night Live!, a popular free concert series organized by the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce that kicked off its 31st season on May 2. The town’s series will offer a weekday entertainment option that’s smaller in scale and focused on genres outside of Friday Night Live’s favored rock bands.
“We see Town Square Tuesdays as a smaller event than Friday Night Live, featuring more intimate acts that cover a wide range of musical genres,” Heavner said. “Our inaugural season includes everything from bistro jazz to funk, bluegrass to swing, and more.”
In addition to Mystic Warriors, confirmed participants include Les Zazous, a bistro jazz band, on June 24 and Stacy Loggins, a percussionist who plays with the calypso band Tobago Bay, on July 1.
As of Monday (June 9), the town was still finalizing contracts with all of the Town Square Tuesdays performers. Additional acts will be announced weekly on the Herndon parks and rec department’s social media pages and webpage.
The series will continue on Tuesdays through July and August, with every performance taking place from 6-8 p.m. Attendees can bring lawn chairs and blankets.
Later this month, the Town of Herndon will get in the summer spirit with Play All Day VA, a day-long event organized by its parks and recreation department to celebrate the longest day of the year on June 20.
As part of the celebration, admission to the Herndon Community Center (814 Ferndale Avenue) will be free throughout the day. Admission fees are usually $7 for town residents and $8 for non-town residents, with discounts for seniors and youth, though Fridays cost $5 across the board.
Town staff will also give out popsicles at Haley Smith Park (324 Van Buren Street) from 10-11:30 a.m. and at the Bready Park playground from 4:30-6 p.m.
“Whether you’re trying a new activity, enjoying the sunshine, or meeting neighbors, Play All Day VA is your invitation to get out, get active, and have fun,” the Town of Herndon said on the event webpage.
Outside the town’s limits, community members can find more free concerts at Frying Pan Farm Park, which will host Hunter Mill Melodies, starting July 3, as part of the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Summer Entertainment Series.
