Tried-and-true recipe for a great time: a dash of warm weather, a heap of live music and plenty of good friends. With a jam-packed schedule of open-air tunes, we've put together your guide to the venues and concert series that make up more than 100 outdoor concerts in the Raleigh area this summer. Let's jam!
 

Red Hat Amphitheater

This 6,000-seat venue that sits in the shadow of downtown Raleigh's skyline (and just steps from bars, restaurants and other nightlife spots) has a major lineup planned for 2023 with more than 25 shows on the calendar through the summer months.

• Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, May 28
• Dermot Kennedy, June 3
• Subtronics, June 9
• Noah Kahan, June 14
• Pixies, June 16
• Rebelution, June 17
• Peter Frampton, June 24
• Don Toliver, July 2
• Barenaked Ladies, July 4
• The Revivalists and The Head and The Heart, July 6
• Riley Green, July 14
• Young the Giant, July 16
• YUNGBLUD, July 18
• Jake Owen, July 20
• Louis Tomlinson, July 21
• Dirty Heads, July 27
• Walker Hayes, July 28
• Counting Crows, July 29
• Jason Mraz and his Superband, Aug. 4
• Lindsey Stirling, Aug. 8
• Tyler Childers, Aug. 13
• All-American Rejects, Aug. 14
• 3 Doors Down, Aug. 26
• The 5 Seconds of Summer Show, Sept. 3
• Caamp, Sept. 6
• Parker McCollum, Sept. 23
• Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Sept. 27
• Hozier, Oct. 3
• Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Oct. 7

Koka Booth Amphitheatre

Nestled in a landscape of tall pine trees and next to the beautiful Symphony Lake in Cary, Koka Booth Amphitheatre has more than 20 jazz, bluegrass, symphony and indie music shows lined up for the summer season.

• Summerfest Opening Night: Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, May 27
• Triangle Wind Ensemble: The Music Of John Williams, May 28
• Smooth Nights At KBA, June 2
• Summerfest: The Music Of Whitney Houston, June 3
• Summerfest: Fire & Rain: Songs Of The '70s, June 9
• Summerfest: All Beethoven, June 10
• Summerfest: A Little Night Music, June 16
• Summerfest: Classics Under The Stars, June 17
• Summer Jam 2023, June 23
• Summerfest: Harry Potter Vs. Star Wars, June 24
• Summerfest: Cirque Cinema, July 1
• Summerfest: Tango Caliente, July 8
• Billy Strings, July 13-15
• Summerfest: The Catalinas, July 16
• Shakti: 50th Anniversary Tour, Aug. 27
• Smooth Nights at KBA, Sept. 9
• The Australian Pink Floyd Show - Darkside 50 Tour, Sept. 17
• Turnpike Troubadours, Sept. 24
• Folk 'N' Funk Music Festival, Oct. 1

Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek

Big crowd, big acts and big tailgating. That's how things work at this 20,000-seat venue that has long been known as a can't-miss stop for music stars as they tour the Southeast.

• Dead & Company, June 1
• TLC, Shaggy, En Vogue, Sean Kingston, June 7
• Dierks Bentley, June 16
• KIDZ BOP, June 30
• Tears for Fears, July 8
• Matchbox Twenty, July 12
• GODSMACK AND STAIND, July 20
• Eric Church, Aug. 4
• Slightly Stoopid, Aug. 5
• Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Too $hort, Aug. 6
• Disturbed, Aug. 7
• Foreigner, Aug. 8
• Jason Aldean, Aug. 11
• 50 Cent, Aug. 15
• Pentatonix, Aug. 19
• Rob Zombie And Alice Cooper, Aug. 29
• Outlaw Music Festival feat. Willie Nelson, Sept. 8
• Sam Hunt, Sept. 9
• Lynyrd Skynyrd & ZZ Top, Sept. 15
• Zac Brown Band, Oct. 5
• Luke Bryan, Oct. 26

Summer Concert Series at North Carolina Museum of Art

This unique performing arts and film venue—a work of art itself—has hosted an outdoor summer series featuring a range of musical performances, family entertainment, blockbuster movies and classic films for 25 years now.

• Jazz at the NCMA: Kirk Whalum, Chante Moore, June 1
• Jazz at the NCMA: Lalah Hathaway, PJ Morton, June 8
• Jacob Collier: DJesse World Tour with Lawrence, June 13
• Juneteenth Joy 2023: A Celebration of Freedom and Gospel Music, June 16
• Jazz at the NCMA: Robert Glasper with Samara Joy, June 22
• Jazz at the NCMA: Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Band, Sheila E., June 29
• Jazz at the NCMA: Kenny G, July 13
• Jazz at the NCMA:Take 6, Chrisette Michele, July 20
• Nickel Creek, Aoife O’Donovan, July 21
• Steep Canyon Rangers, Amythyst Kiah, Aug. 18
• Gladys Knight, Eric Benet, Sept. 1
• Paperhand Puppet Intervention with Nenna & Pierce Freelon, Sept. 22-24

Midtown Beach Music Series

A Raleigh summer tradition for more than 10 years now, this weekly Thursday night beach music series in North Hills attracts diverse and lively crowds—bring your dancing shoes! Admission is $5.

• The Tams, May 25
• Chairmen of The Board, June 1
• Too Much Sylvia, June 8
• Black Water Band, June 15
• The Embers ft. Craig Woodard, June 22

Friday Night on White

This free, family-friendly concert series in downtown Wake Forest takes place on the second Friday of each month throughout spring and summer. Food trucks will be on hand as will beer from White Street Brewing Company and Norse Brewing Company (both brewed literally just steps away from the main stage).

• Love Tribe, June 9
• The Brickhouse Band, July 14
• Stone Age Romeos, Aug. 11
• Crush, Sept. 8

Performances at the Page

This lively series of free concerts features musical styles from near and far—all taking place in the beautiful gardens of the Page-Walker Arts & History Center in downtown Cary.

• Sabor y Cultura: Dominican Republic, May 26
• BogTurtle, June 16
• Jamrock, July 28
• Celebration of Bluegrass, Aug. 4

Bands, Bites and Boats at Bond Park

One Friday per month, Fred G. Bond Metro Park and Boathouse in Cary plays host to musicians, food trucks, beers and after-hours boat rentals.

• 2Digh4, June 2
• Currie Wayne Clayton, Jr., July 7
• Carson Mac, Aug. 4
• Mysti Mayhem, Sept. 1
• Tigerlily, Oct. 6

Live Music Wednesdays at Waverly Place

A longtime family favorite destination for a fun night out—thanks to a kids' play area and plenty of A-plus dining spots just steps away (Enrigo Italian Bistro, Gonza Tacos y Tequila, Tasu Asian Bistro and more)—this series of free Wednesday night jam sessions at Cary's Waverly Place is always a good time. 

• Bounce Party Band, June 14
• North Tower Band, June 28
• Tyson Brothers, July 12
• Stone Age Romeos, July 26
• The Embers, Aug. 9
• The Amazing Lounge Lizards, Aug. 23

Packapalooza

Aug. 26
This annual all-day block party and street festival, drawing more than 80,000 attendees, caps off North Carolina State University's Wolfpack Welcome Week at the start of another academic year. The free and open-to-the-public event features more than 300 vendor booths lining Hillsborough St., along with food, games, arts and crafts, visual and performing arts and more. A headlining music act will be announced soon.

Hopscotch Music Festival

Sept. 7-9
Three days, nearly 100 bands, a handful of venues across downtown Raleigh, a full schedule of totally-free day parties and 25,000 fans—it's no wonder why Hopscotch Music Festival is time and time again named one of America's can't-miss music events. The acts—and genres—are as wide-ranging as the venues they play in (seen below, the City Plaza stage holds thousands of festival goers, while the City of Oaks' favorite dive bar, Slim's Downtown, holds just a lucky 100 or so).

The 2023 lineup and schedule was just announced (Pavement, Denzel Curry, Japanese Breakfast, King Krule, Margo Price, Dinosaur Jr. and way more will be in Raleigh!). 

International Bluegrass Music Association's World of Bluegrass

Sept. 26-30
The arrival of a toe-tappin', banjo-strummin' week of non-stop week of bluegrass in downtown Raleigh is one of the most anticipated times of the year. The International Bluegrass Music Association brings their business conference, along with the world's most talented bluegrass musicians, to Raleigh during this week. Those musicians then perform in clubs, on street corners and in hotel lobbies-anywhere they can find a jam session-during the Bluegrass Ramble. Then the week is capped off with Bluegrass Live! powered by PNC, a two-day festival that sets up five stages of free music, a dance tent, tons of art vendors and more (the first lineup details have already been announced!).

Photo credits: Midtown Beach Music Series, North Hills; Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, Garrett Poulos