AUSTIN, Texas — Off, then back on again: It's been a tumultuous year for Blues on the Green, Austin's annual, free, family-friendly concert series at Zilker Park.
On Jan. 17, Austin City Limits Radio announced the popular event would not return, saying hosting the series had become a difficult task.
"Without admission fees or bar sales, it's becoming more challenging every year to produce an event that's grown to this size and still keep it free and open to the public," ACL Radio officials wrote in a statement. "Unfortunately, this year, the rising costs present too big of a hurdle."
Then, in early February, a group of Austin City Council members sponsored a resolution to try to figure out how to keep Blues on the Green going, keep it free and use local vendors.
"We have a responsibility to assist our live music scene," Councilmember Natasha Harper-Madison said at the time. "Especially as they become more financially vulnerable, even with increasing engagement from our residents."
About a week later, ACL Radio announced Blues on the Green would return this summer.
This year's event, presented by H-E-B, will be held on Tuesday, June 11, and Wednesday, June 12, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Golden Dawn Arkestra, Nané featuring Quentin Arispe, and Grace Sorensen will play on Tuesday. Then Riders Against the Storm, Carmelo Haze and The Point will play on Wednesday.
Blues on the Green dates back more than 30 years, going from shows at The Arboretum in the '90s to Zilker Park, with Austin's booming skyline acting as the event's backdrop. According to ACL Radio, the event draws tens of thousands of attendees each summer and is Austin's largest free concert series.
But it isn't the only one! Check out this guide for more outdoor summer concert series in the Austin area.