Milwaukee's free outdoor summer concerts

There are festivals along the lakefront and around Milwaukee all summer long and great concerts coming up that we’re really excited about. But why spend money when you don’t have to? There’s a free outdoor concert every night of the week in summer, so pull up a patch of lawn and bust out the boxed wine.

On Monday, head over to breezy Lake Park, where Musical Mondays runs from June 29 through August 17. Not much else going on, but it’s Monday—what do you want? Tuesday is a little more interesting, with Bay View’s Chill On The Hill at Humboldt Park all summer long starting next week. There will also be Tuesday night shows at Mitchell Boulevard Park in June, and Kosciuszko Park and Jackson Park in August.

Wednesday is all about River Rhythms at Pere Marquette Park, which boasts a diverse lineup of bands that covers everything from The Urbanites to Doo–Wop Daddies. Need more Wednesday? Washington Park has a good roster that includes The Barrettes and Paul Spencer. There's also music at Wauwatosa’s Hart Park, or Wonderful Wednesdays at Lake Park in July.

One of Milwaukee's favorite weekly summer concerts is Jazz In The Park at Cathedral Square Park, but if it’s too crowded there, you’ve got other Thursday options. Check out Concerts In The Gardens at Boerner Botanical Gardens, which has concerts from the likes of Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Salt Creek. Alterra At The Lake fills most of its Thursdays with concerts in its Musica del Lago Latin music series and its Florentine At The Lake series.

Free concerts don't dry up on the weekend. Check out Starry Nights at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center in Brookfield on Friday from June 26 through August 7, or the once-a-month concert at Whitnall Park. Saturday is pretty thin, but you can catch a concert here and there at area parks, including Wahl Park and Lindsay Park. On Sunday, check out Café Sopra Mare at the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum from June 7 through August 30.