Concert in the Plaza Fills Downtown with Beautiful Sounds

The sun dips behind the trees, illuminating the ancient skyline with a solar halo. The murmurs of anticipation ripple through an eager crowd; a collective sigh of relief escapes them as the sweltering air is suppressed ever so slightly by a gathering dusk. The heat is never gone entirely, but at least an evening breeze will now cut through and offer a little thermal respite. Somewhere toward the front, a note sounds. A strum, a chord, a key — several seconds of discordant melody swelling, a tuning. Heads turn, bodies settle down in lawn chairs and on blankets. A voice rings out.

These are Thursday summer nights in St. Augustine. For more than twenty years, Concerts in the Plaza has filled the city center with music and merrymaking all season long. Residents and visitors alike are invited to come and see musical acts of all kinds — from bluegrass and Americana to jazz and country, flamenco and R&B and even 80s hairband rock — mount the Gazebo stage and put on a show.

The concerts take place in the Plaza de la Constitucion every Thursday during the summer from 6pm to 8pm and are free and open to the public. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed in the Plaza but picnics are welcome. The event series will kick off on June 1 with Str8up, a band that mixes country, rock, R&B, and soul and is sure to get you on your feet and ready to dance. Str8up will be followed by the Morrow Family Band, A Swing and a Miss Band, The Driftwoods, and a whole host of beloved regional favorites, with shows all the way through the month of August. Your summer soundtrack never sounded better.