We've been writing an awful lot about summer music festivals, and it seems like there are more now than ever. But a lot of those events — as great as they can be — are prohibitively expensive and miles away. Want to stay in town and still enjoy live outdoor music? No problem. Here are some local places to catch weekly music series throughout the summer; all are free and all ages unless otherwise noted.
Hotel RL at the Park, 303 W. North River Dr.
Dubbed Rhythm and Brews, Hotel RL's newest concert series will feature two free, all-ages shows every Friday and Saturday (6-9 pm) through the rest of the summer. The lineup includes popular blues mainstays Too Slim and the Taildraggers (June 22), the salsa stylings of Milonga (July 13), tribute act Paperback Writer performing nights of Beach Boys classics (Aug. 10) and Beatles hits (Aug. 11) and Rare Earth drummer and vocalist Peter Rivera's band Celebrate (Aug. 25). Beers from local breweries will also be highlighted each week. Complete event listings can be found at facebook.com/HotelRLatthePark.
Arbor Crest Winery, 4705 N. Fruit Hill Rd.
One of the most scenic places in Spokane, Arbor Crest's Cliff House Estate is hosting intimate live music — both acoustic and full-band performances — starting at 4:30 pm on Thursdays and Sundays through August. Among the artists slated to play: Son of Brad (June 28), Sammy Eubanks (July 15), Karrie O'Neill (July 26), Ron Greene (Aug. 16) and Tuxedo Junction (Aug. 19). Admission on Thursdays is just $5 and $10 on Sundays. These shows are 21+ only. arborcrest.com/summer-concerts
Kendall Yards Night Market, 1335 W. Summit Pkwy.
If you're a Kendall Yards regular, the weekly Night Market is surely part of the reason. As soon as the weather becomes agreeable, the market takes over the neighborhood every Wednesday night between 5 and 9 pm, and there's always live music to enjoy. The ongoing "Rock the Nest" series typically showcases local singer-songwriters, but you can also check out bands like alt-country quintet the Powers (June 20), the hip-hop fusion of the Flying Spiders (July 18), the folk-rock ensemble Trego (Aug. 8) and the diverse covers catalog of the Rub (Aug. 29). kendallnightmarket.org
Park Bench Cafe, 1702 S. Grand Blvd.
Manito Park is celebrating the season with free live music at its mainstay Park Bench Cafe on Friday nights starting at 6 pm. The series continues this week with Wyatt Wood (June 15). The roster is filled out by the likes of Blue Water Strangers (June 22), Flight Risk (July 20) and Just Plain Darin (Aug. 10). See the Manito Park Facebook page for more details.
Coeur d'Alene Park, 2195 W. Second Ave.
Browne's Addition's Coeur d'Alene Park has hosted free summer music for two decades now, and the tradition starts up again on July 5 and continues every Thursday at 6 pm. This year's lineup includes Tango Volcado (July 12), Jackie Fox and the Hounds (July 26), the Sara Brown Duo (Aug. 16) and Sidetrack (Aug. 23). facebook.com/brownes-addition-concert
Riverstone Park, 1800 N. Beebe Blvd., Coeur d'Alene
Coeur d'Alene's Riverstone Park starts its free outdoor concerts on July 5, and they continue at 6 pm on Thursdays through the summer. They've got a little something for everybody: showtunes with Coeur d'Alene Summer Theater (July 5), Americana with Hillary Scott (July 19), classic R&B with Nu Jack City (July 26), classical repertoire from the Coeur d'Alene Symphony (Aug. 9) and blues-rock favorites with the Zach Cooper Band (Aug. 23). artsandculturecda.org/summer-concert-series ♦
