Free Summer Music at Fountain Square, Washington Park

We told you a few weeks back about the lineup for the MidPoint Indie Summer concert series on Fountain Square, featuring numerous (primarily local) Indie and Rock acts every Friday this summer from 7-11 p.m. Click here for the full rundown.

But there are many other popular themed nights returning this summer to both Fountain Square and Washington Park, which re-opened after a major makeover in time to introduce live music nights last summer for the first time. (Both spots are managed by the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC).

Fountain Square's PNC Summer Music Series will have live music five days a week, while Washington Park will host three themed music nights this summer. All events are free and a great way to enjoy our city's central districts. The concerts begin at the end of May/start of June and run through the end of August/start of September. Be sure to check the official websites of both venues for any updates, additions or cancellations.

Fountain Square

• Every Tuesday from 7-9 p.m., the Square presents "American Roots" night. This year, the lineup is the strongest its been, showcasing the best of Greater Cincinnati's rich Roots/Americana scene (as well as a few regional faves).

May 27
8 p.m.:

Magnolia Mountain

7 p.m. 

Terminal Union

June 4
8 p.m.: 

Kentucky Struts

7 p.m.: 

The Turkeys

June 11
8 p.m.: 

The Tillers

7 p.m.: 

Tom Evanchuck

June 18
8 p.m.: 

Dallas Moore Band

7 p.m.: 

Jamison Road

June 25
8 p.m.: 

Kentucky Timbre

7 p.m.: 

Tex Schramm

July 2
8 p.m.: 

Shiny and the Spoon

7 p.m.: 

Ten String Symphony

July 9
8 p.m.: 

Glossary

7 p.m.: 

Frontier Folk Nebraska

July 16
8 p.m.: 

Pure Grain

7 p.m.: 

Straw Boss

July 23
8 p.m.: 

Jeremy Pinnell & the 55s

7 p.m.: 

Arlo McKinley

July 30
8 p.m.: 

Great Peacock

7 p.m.: 

The Seedy Seeds

August 6
8 p.m.: 

Bulletville

7 p.m.: 

Ricky Nye & Chris Douglas

August 13
8 p.m.: 

Mason James

7 p.m.: 

Honey and Houston

August 20
8 p.m.: 

Bobby Mackey

7 p.m.: 

Blair Carman

August 27
8 p.m.: 

Robert Ellis

7 p.m.: 

Fifth on the Floor

• Reggae Wednesdays return to the Square this summer, with wider-net bookings that include numerous regional and touring Reggae acts. Music runs every night from 6-10 p.m. and acts are teamed up with a DJ or DJ squad for each event.

May 29

The Ohms

Summer Splash Happy Hour with

DJ Frankie D

June 5

The Zionites

Summer Splash Happy Hour with

Queen City Imperial Sound System

June 12

Cliftones

Summer Splash Happy Hour with

DJ Frankie D

June 19

Seefari

Summer Splash Happy Hour with I Vibez

June 26

The Drastics

Summer Splash Happy Hour with 

DJ Frankie D

July 3

Jah Messengers

Summer Splash Happy Hour with

Queen City Imperial Sound System

July 10

Dougie Simpson and Faith

Summer Splash Happy Hour with

DJ Frankie D

July 17

Billbuckers

Summer Splash Happy Hour with I Vibez

July 24

Ark Band

Summer Splash Happy Hour with

DJ Frankie D

July 31

Bajah + the Dry Eye Crew

Summer Splash Happy Hour with

Queen City Imperial Sound System

August 7

Ras Dodirie

Summer Splash Happy Hour with

DJ Frankie D

August 14

Ras Gato

Summer Splash Happy Hour with I Vibez

August 21

Nature

Summer Splash Happy Hour with

DJ Frankie D

August 28

One World Tribe

Summer Splash Happy Hour with

Queen City Imperial Sound System

• Salsa dancers and music lovers will be happy to know that Salsa on the Square is returning this summer on Thursdays, running 7-10 p.m. As always, dance instructors will be on hand to give you pointers (if you need 'em). Music is provided primarily by some of Greater Cincinnati's finest Salsa/Latin music groups.

May 30:

Son Del Caribe

June 6:

Kandela

June 13:

Zumba

June 20:

Tropicoso

June 27: Grupo Tumbao

July 4: Clave’ Son

July 11:

Kandela

July 18:

Tropiscoso

uly 25: Grupo Tumbao

August 1:

Zumba

August 8:

Azucar Tumbao

August 15: Clave’ Son

August 22:

Brian Andres & the Afro-Cuban Jazz Cartel 

August 29:

Son Del Caribe 

• Before MidPoint Indie Summer on Fridays, local club/bar conglomerate 4EG (which operates several nightclubs in the area) will present 4EG Happy Hour from 5-7 p.m. Local DJs will spin every Friday (except for Aug. 2, when local cover band Snidely Whiplash performs).

May 31:

DJ Ice Cold Tony

June 7:

DJ Jake the Ripper

June 14:

DJ E-trayn

June 21:

DJ Identity

June 28:
DJ Jesse the Ripper

July 5:

DJ D-Lo

July 12:

Fuseamania

July 19:

DJ Tina T

July 26:

DJ Will Kill

August 2:

Snidely Whiplash 

August 9:

DJ Scene

August 16:

DJ Simo

August 23:

DJ Spryte

August 30:
TBA

• One of the most popular nights on the Square during the summer is Saturdays' "Beats" night, booked by local promoter Self Diploma. The concerts run 7-10 p.m. and again feature an impressive mix of local and touring Hip Hop, Electronic and DJ acts. Among the national act highlights this year are Mod Sun, Hoodie Allen, Watch the Duck and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

June 1
10 p.m.:

Chuck Inglish

9 p.m.:

Puck

8 p.m.:

Olu

7 p.m.:

The Natives

June 8
10 p.m.:

DJ D-LO

9 p.m.:

Cal Scruby

8 p.m.: SD Choice
7 p.m.:

DJ Vizion

June 15
10 p.m.:

Hoodie Allen

9 p.m.:

D-Why

8 p.m.:

Sam Lachow

7 p.m.:

Ian J

June 22
10 p.m.:

Mod Sun

9 p.m.:

Trademark Aaron

8 p.m.:

Junya Be

7 p.m.:

Jean P

June 29
10 p.m.:

Drummer vs Emulator

9 p.m.:

Firecat 451

8 p.m.:

Black Signal

7 p.m.:

Catch Phrase

July 6
10 p.m.:

Mutrix

9 p.m.:

Milk N Cookies

8 p.m.:

DJ X Nightmare

7 p.m.: No Limits

July 13
10 p.m.:

T Mills

9 p.m.:

Huey Mack

8 p.m.:

Santino Corleon

7:30 p.m.:

Round 2 Crew

7 p.m.:

Nick Youngerman

July 20
10 p.m.:

Collin Mcloughin

9 p.m.:

Napalm

8 p.m.:

X5ight

7 p.m.:

DJ Sab

July 27
10 p.m.:

Watch the Duck

9 p.m.:

Gold Shoes

8 p.m.:

Vincent Vega

7:30 p.m.:

DJ Rhetorik

7 p.m.:

Emari J

August 3
10 p.m.:

Somo

9 p.m.:

Arin Ray

8 p.m.:

Eben Frankewitz

7 p.m.:

Alabama Capital

August 10
9:30 p.m.:

Stafford Brothers

8:30 p.m.:

Davey C

7:45 p.m.:

J Hollow

7 p.m.: 4 Grand

August 17
9:30 p.m.:

Candyland

8:30 p.m.:

DJ Prism

7:45 p.m.:

B-Funk of Dave Rave

7 p.m.:

Neon Medusa

August 24
9-11 p.m.:

DJ Jazzy Jeff

8 p.m.:

Joseph Nevels

7 p.m.:

Erica P

Washington Park

After a successful inaugural summer of events last year, Washington Park brings back three music nights, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, plus several other entertainment offerings, including "Dancing Under the Stars," an every-Tuesday dance night, with lessons that focus on different types of dancing each week. (Click below for the concert lineups.)—-

• Wednesdays at Washington Park will be all about Jazz. The Crown Jewels of Jazz series runs 7-9 p.m. and includes top-notch local artists playing everything from Be Bop to Latin Jazz to Dixieland.

May 29

Mike Wade and the Jazz Ambassadors

June 5
William Menefield Quartet

June 12

Jazz Alive with Ron Jones

June 19

Tracy Walker

June 26

Marc Fields Quintet

July 3
CSO Pops Goes Jazz

July 10

Nancy James Quartet

July 17

Poco Loco

July 24

Sound Body Jazz Orchestra

July 31

Queen City Dixie Cats

August 7
Ed Moss Quartet

August 14
Siobhan and The Situation

August 21

Crown Jewels of Jazz® Heritage Festival: Pieces of A Dream

August 28

Faux Frenchmen

September 4

Brent Gallaher Quartet

• The every-Thursday Bandstand Bluegrass series returns to Washington Park this summer, with music from 7-9 p.m. Organizers snuck a few Folk/Americana acts into the lineup mix again this year, but they're all solid Cincinnati-area performers, so who cares?

May 30:

The Tillers

June 6:

Jake Speed & the Freddies

June 13:

The Comet Bluegrass All-Stars

June 20: 

Red Cedars

June 27:

Northern Kentucky Bluegrass Band

July 4:

Kentucky Timbre with the Boone County Caterwaulers

July 11:

Blue Rock Boys

July 18:

Wild Carrot & the Roots Band

July 25:

The Missy Werner Band

August 1:

Rattlesnakin’ Daddies

August 8:

Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass

August 15:

Hickory Robot

August 22:

Magnolia Mountain

August 29:

Ma Crow & the Lady Slippers

September 5: 

Whisky Bent Valley

• Last year, the Friday Flow concerts in Washington Park were probably the biggest of the music nights. With a focus on R&B, Soul and Funk (plus dashes of Jazz and Hip Hop), this summer's Friday Flow concerts — running from 7-11 p.m. — features numerous local acts, performers from the Elementz Hip Hop youth center and some bigger names, including Jay-Z's DJ, Young Guru, Rick James' Stone City Band (minus Rick James, of course) and Billy Becks' Ohio Players (not the original group).

May 31
10 p.m.:

PJ Morton

9 p.m.: Jon Schuyler
7:10 p.m.: 

Elementz

June 7
10 p.m.: 

Rick James Stone City Band

9 p.m.: 

Eclectic Vibe

7:10 p.m.: Jazpel

June 14
10 p.m.: 

Flawless

9 p.m.: 

Aprina Johnson

7:10 p.m.: Sydney Arterbridge

June 21
10 p.m.: 

Collection of Sidemen

9 p.m.: 

Young Jazz Messengers

7:10 p.m.: TB

June 28
10 p.m.: Park Jams ft.

Young Guru

(Jay-Z’s DJ)
9 p.m.: 

Jameze

7:10   p.m.: 

Elementz

July 5
10 p.m.: 

Mr. Reed

(From 

America’s Got Talent

)
9 p.m.:

 Soul Fuzion

7:10 p.m.: TBA

July 12
10 p.m.: 

Erica P.

9 p.m.: Bianca Page
7:10 p.m.: 

Lo Lo Harris

July 19
10 p.m.: 

Thee Phantom

9 p.m.: 

Tracey Walker

7:10 p.m.: Def Comedy Jam Poets

July 26
6 p.m.: TBA
5 p.m.: Papa Don
4 p.m.:

Ingrid Rachel

3 p.m.: 

Elementz

August 2 (No concert)

August 9
10 p.m.: 

Aristar

9 p.m.: Enjae (NJ Legal)
7:10   p.m.: TBA

August 16
9 p.m.: 

Hot Sauce

8 p.m.: Carl Moore
7:10 p.m.: 

Ingrid Woode

August 23 (Part of the Crown Jewels of Jazz Festival)
10 p.m.: TBA
9 p.m.: 

Phil DeGreg

&

the Samba Jazz Syndicate

w/ Mandy Gaines
7:10 p.m.: 

Cincy Brass

August 30 (No concert)

September 6
10 p.m.: 

Billy Becks’ Ohio Players

9 p.m.: 

Natural Progression

7:10 p.m.: Siobhan