Blake Ellege
In Highlands, August weekends arrive with the sound of fiddles, guitars, harmonies, and happy crowds settling into the cool mountain air. The town’s Outdoor Concert Series continues with Friday Night Live in Town Square and Saturdays on Pine at Kelsey‑Hutchinson Founders Park, offering residents and visitors two easy ways to enjoy live music downtown.
Best of all, these concerts are free to attend and are sponsored by the Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC.
The month opens Saturday, August 1, with Yacht Rando at Kelsey‑Hutchinson Founders Park. The band brings a breezy, retro mood inspired by the golden age of soft rock, mixing high‑energy fun with laid‑back “yacht rock” nostalgia for a summer evening on the lawn.
On Friday, August 7, John Webb takes the Town Square stage for Friday Night Live. Webb is known for a relaxed country style, pairing timeless classics with heartfelt storytelling and Southern charm.
The following night, Saturday, August 8, Blake Ellege + The Resonators bring classic country to Saturdays on Pine. With fiddle, guitar, doghouse bass, and pedal steel, the group celebrates country music from its golden age through the 1990s. Ellege, an American Idol Golden Ticket winner and 2022 Josie Music Awards “Outlaw Country Artist of the Year,” adds award‑winning showmanship.
Spare Parts Bluegrass Band
Friday, August 14, brings the McLain Family Band to Town Square. Founded in Berea, Kentucky, in 1968, the family band is celebrated for spirited bluegrass performances. With appearances in all 50 states and dozens of countries, plus performances at Carnegie Hall and the Grand Ole Opry, the McLain Family Band offers a world‑traveled sound rooted in mountain tradition.
On Friday, August 21, the Shawn Lane Trio continues the Friday Night Live series. Lane, a founding member of Blue Highway, is a three‑time GRAMMY nominee and 28‑time International Bluegrass Music Association Award winner. Known for soulful vocals, acclaimed songwriting, and masterful work on fiddle, mandolin, and guitar, he brings high‑energy bluegrass to downtown Highlands.
Saturday, August 22, shifts back to Kelsey‑Hutchinson Founders Park with the Will Thompson Band, known for high‑energy performances, polished live sound, and the easy joy of professional musicians playing confidently in their element.
The August lineup closes Friday, August 28, with Spare Parts Bluegrass Band in Town Square. Based in Walhalla, South Carolina, Spare Parts blends delicate harmonies with high‑energy bluegrass “barn burners,” backed by more than 50 years of combined experience.
Together, these Friday and Saturday concerts make August an easy invitation to enjoy Highlands at its most welcoming: outdoors, downtown, and filled with music.
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