Fairfax County revives live summer concerts in Herndon parks

It is officially summer, and with Virginia anticipating an end to its COVID-19-induced state of emergency, the next couple of months will bring an abundance of live music for Reston and Herndon residents to enjoy.

The season’s offerings will include the in-person returns of “Hunter Mill Melodies” and “Music at Arrowbrook Park,” two free outdoor concert series organized by the Fairfax County Park Authority for its 2021 Summer Entertainment Series.

Hunter Mill Melodies will be back at Herndon’s Frying Pan Farm Park with performances at Kidwell Farm (2709 West Ox Rd.) at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday in July and August.

Frying Pan will also host a children’s entertainment series at its visitor center pavilion (2739 West Ox Rd.) every Wednesday at 10 a.m. as part of the park authority’s Arts in the Park family-friendly series.

“This free entertainment series features a wide variety of musical acts from across the United States and from around the world,” Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said in a note. “The variety and quality of the acts is a reflection of Fairfax County’s diversity and community spirit, some of the many qualities that make this a wonderful place to call home.”

Music at Arrowbrook Park will bring eight free concerts to Arrowbrook Centre Park (2351 Field Point Rd.) in Herndon, covering a variety of genres, from folk to funk.

The full Hunter Mill Melodies and Music at Arrowbrook Park schedules are as follows:

Hunter Mill Melodies

• July 8: Phil Wiggins & Rick Franklin (Piedmont blues)
• July 15: Elena & Los Fulanos (Latin folk/rock)
• July 22: Nepalese Indian Cultural Nights (music of Nepal)
• July 29: Grupo Autoctono Tarkeada Virginia and Tradiciones Bolivianas (folkloric music and dance from Bolivia)
• August 5: Billy Coulter (roots rock, pop)
• August 12: Speidel, Goodrich, Goggin & Lille (rock)
• August 19: The United States Army Swamp Romp (jazz)
• August 26: Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen (bluegrass)

Arts in the Park

• July 7: 123 Andrés (children’s songs)
• July 14: Blue Sky Puppet Theater (puppets)
• July 21: Rocknoceros (children’s songs)
• August 11: Mr. Gabe & the Circle Time All-Stars (children’s songs)
• August 18: Fairfax Symphony Orchestra — Percussion Ensemble (children’s music)

Music at Arrowbrook Park

• July 10: The 19th Street Band (country rock)
• July 17: Scythian (Irish rock)
• July 24: High Noon (Southern rock)
• July 31: Daryl Davis (swing)
• August 7: Black Masala (funk/world)
• August 14: Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band (funk)
• August 21: Richard Phillips and Friends (folk, Appalachian blues)
• August 28: Eddie from Ohio (rockabilly)

The Fairfax County Park Authority announced on June 9 that its Summer Entertainment Series would return in person after going virtual last year.

According to the FCPA news release, the county started the initiative to create “a renewed sense of community” in the vein of small-town gatherings around bandstands in local town squares or parks. The performances are funded by private donations given to the Fairfax County Park Foundation.

For additional local live music options, community members can turn to the Reston Community Center, which launched multiple free summer concert series earlier this month, and Friday Night Live!, which will be back in the Town of Herndon starting July 2.

Reston Town Center, however, announced in April that it has canceled its Reston Concerts on the Town series for a second year in a row, citing the continued uncertainty at that time over whether Virginia would still have restrictions on large events over the summer.

Reston Concerts on the Town said that it had retained much of its planned lineup from 2020 and is now working to move those same artists to summer 2022.

“We miss you all and look forward to safely and joyously rocking out together in 2022!” the Facebook post said.

via Fairfax County Park Authority/Facebook