LINCOLN SQUARE — Summer officially arrives in Lincoln Square on June 6 with the first concert of the season in Giddings Plaza.
The Latin folk-rock band Charlie Baran y Grupo Gringo kicks off the free, weekly Thursday-night series, which closes Aug. 29 with the reggae-influenced Drop Steady.
The lineup of local acts ranges from German pop to R&B, jazz to classic rock and everything in between.
Concerts start at 6:30 p.m. Pull up a chair, grab a brat from the Brauhaus' outdoor grill or just swing by to soak up the small-town vibe on your way to or from somewhere else.
The complete schedule:
June 6: Charlie Baran y Grupo Gringo
June 13: Sanctified Grumblers, acoustic/Americana/blues
June 20: Cary Kanno and the Giants, rock/funk
June 27: Pieptone! North Center's very own perform German-language pop hits from the '50s and '60s.
July 11: Al Scorch Country Soul Ensemble
July 18: The Stingers, classic and roots rock/blues/soul/R&B
July 25: Jukebox Heroes, classic hits
Aug. 1: Petra Van Nuis Quintet, jazz
Aug. 8: The Flat Cats, swinging jazz and blues
Aug. 15: Melanie Budd, singer/songwriter
Aug. 22: Check With Lucy, up-tempo folk
Aug. 29: Drop Steady
In the event of severe weather, check the website, Facebook and Twitter feeds of the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce for news of possible cancellations and rescheduling.
The Thursday night Lincoln Square farmers market also debuts June 6 and runs through Oct. 24, 4-8 p.m.