Slip on your dancing shoes — Highlands’ Friday Night Live and Saturdays on Pine Outdoor Concert Series return this May, ready to soundtrack another season of long evenings, cool breezes, and community joy.
From spring’s first warm nights through the golden glow of early fall, downtown Highlands becomes a gathering place where music drifts through the trees and neighbors settle in for the simple pleasure of live performance. For details, visit highlandschamber.org or call (828) 5262112.
From May through September, free concerts fill Friday and Saturday nights with rhythm and energy. Shows run 6:00–8:30 P.M., giving everyone a chance to unwind, tap a toe, or dance under the open sky.
Each series brings its own flavor: Fridays celebrate the mountain music traditions that shaped this region, while Saturdays offer a lively mix of genres perfect for dancing, relaxing, or simply soaking in the Highlands atmosphere.
Held in Town Square, Friday Night Live honors the roots of Appalachian music. The series is part of the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina, a statewide initiative dedicated to preserving the musical heritage of Western North Carolina.
Friday Night Live Schedule
May 15 – Foxfire Boys
May 22 – Silly Ridge
May 29 – Andrew Wakefield & Friends
June 5 – John Webb
June 12 – Young Mountain Magic
June 19 – Shortoff Mountain Boys
June 26 – Doug Ramsey
July 3 – Spare Parts Bluegrass Band
July 10 – Blackwell Tradition II
July 17 – Foxfire Boys
July 24 – Byrds & Crows
July 31 – Nitrograss
August 7 – John Webb
August 14 – McClain Family Band
August 21 – Shawn Lane Trio
August 28 – Spare Parts Bluegrass Band
September 4 – Silly Ridge
September 11 – Byrds & Crows
September 18 – Blackwell Tradition II
September 25 – Shortoff Mountain Boys
Saturday evenings shift the celebration to Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park, where the lineup spans rock, soul, beach music, Americana, and high energy party bands.
Saturdays on Pine Schedule
May 16 – LazrLuvr
May 23 – The Parks Brothers
May 30 – SNAP
June 6 – The American Flyers
June 13 – Uneek Flav’ur
June 20 – Groove Machine
July 4 – Southside Station
July 11 – Blaze the City
July 18 – Moon Dance
July 25 – Bourbon Sons
August 1 – Yacht Rando
August 8 – Blake Ellege + The Resonators
August 22 – Will Thompson Band
September 5 – Diverse Groove
September 12 – High 5
September 19 – Boogitherapi
September 26 – Darren Nicholson Band
The Outdoor Concert Series is presented by the Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC, whose support ensures that residents and visitors alike can enjoy free, high quality performances all season long.
Favorites Count: 0