Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and with it comes the arrival of summer and all the summer concerts and festivals. The summer of 2024 may be the busiest one yet in terms of live music, leaving fans with an abundance of choices.

One of the best parts of summer is enjoying music in the great outdoors. A few outdoor shows have already taken place, and many more are coming in the months ahead.

This weekend, Weathervane Arts in Montague will present a world music festival with the Juan Carlos Marin Band and Myrtle Street Klezmer at Peskeompskut Park in Turners Falls beginning at 4 p.m. This family-friendly and free event celebrates cultural diversity, offering listeners a unique experience of music from different parts of the world. From the lively rhythms of Son Jarocho to the celebratory sounds of klezmer, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at this show.

The Juan Carlos Marin Band is a group of internationally known musicians from New York City led by Son Jarocho maestro Juan Carlos Marin.

Marin has played with the nationally recognized band Radio Jarocho and contributed music to multiple projects, such as the Latin Grammy-winning children’s album, ”Colorin Colorado.”

Son Jarocho music is Mexican folk music from Veracruz, in the gulf region of Mexico. It is highly danceable and features lively rhythms and energetic melodies. Hard-driving rhythms are played on an eight-string jacana, an instrument that looks like a small guitar and is often mistaken for a ukulele. Lyrics are often improvised and humorous. The famous song “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens in a rock version of Son Jorocho music

“I met Juan Carlos Marin at a house concert he performed last year in Leverett,” said Jesse Olsen Bay of Weathervane Arts. “I knew he’d be perfect for our summer concert series at Peskeompskut Park and received funding from Massachusetts Cultural Council to bring him and his band from New York and Boston.”

The Myrtle Street Klezmer Band from Greenfield will open the show. They play klezmer music, an instrumental tradition from the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe that is lively, danceable and celebratory. The band is led by Jason Ditzian, who plays clarinet, one of the defining instruments in klezmer music. Ditzian was the leader of the well known San Francisco-based klezmer ensemble Kugelplex for over 20 years.

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

UMass football: Amid coaching search, pair of blunders has athletic department in the spotlight

Bulletin board: Day 1 of the Massachusetts Shotgun Deer Hunting Season

State overrules Shutesbury bylaw on battery storage

In seventh year, The Scarf Project continues donation of warm clothing in Greenfield

Authorities identify Northampton man found dead in Gill

Backed by award, Northfield entomologist looks to future research

Your Daily Puzzles

Cross|Word

Flipart

Typeshift

SpellTower

Really Bad Chess

The group also features Myk Freedman (guitar), Jesse Olsen Bay (vocals, bass), Bea Carlson (vocals, accordion), Doug Plavin (percussion) and Dan Baker (tuba, banjo). The Myrtle Street Klezmer Band will start the festival off at 4 p.m., and The Juan Carlos Marin Band will follow at 5 p.m.

Musicians, please note that earlier in the day, Juan Carlos Marin will offer a workshop on San Jarocho music for musicians of all skill levels. Participants will learn songs from the Son Jarocho repertoire, focusing on the rhythms, chord structures, and melodies.

The workshop will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Brick House Community Center, 24 Third St., Turners Falls.

Suggested donation is $20. Pre-registration is encouraged by emailing weathervane.community.arts@gmail.com.

The rain date for the concert is Sunday, May 26, from 4 to 6:30 p.m.

And since it’s Memorial Day weekend, that means it’s once again time for the highly anticipated StrangeCreekCampout at Camp Kee-Wanee in Greenfield. This three-day camping festival (May 24-27) features over 50 bands and is known for its jam band music. Some of the headliners include Max Creek, for whom the festival is partially named, brass band Too Many Zooz, and Pink Talking Fish, a group that fuses the music of Pink Floyd, Phish and Talking Heads.

StrangeCreek is big on returning favorites, but one newcomer this year is Rubblebucket. This band has played the Green River Festival and other local venues numerous times and has a strong following here in the Valley.

Local talent includes Bella’s Bartok, The Alchemystics, Rice: An American Band, Outer Stylie, TapRoots, Whalom Park, and more. The festival gives back to the community by collecting donations for the Franklin County Meals Program.

A few bands will play on Thursday for the enjoyment of the early arrival campers, but the music officially starts at 11 a.m. on Friday, with the last bands stopping at 11 p.m. on Sunday. There will even be a few shows held in cabins in the wee hours of the morning. The full schedule is available at StrangeCreekCampout.com. Tickets are available at Green River Liquors, 126 Deerfield St., in Greenfield.

Unfortunately, not all festivals can go on as planned. The Field Day festival, which was scheduled for May 31-June 1 at the Northampton Fairgrounds, has been canceled due to low ticket sales. This is a disappointment, as the festival had a full slate of up-and-coming acts, including a strong lineup of local talent. However, some local bands slated to perform at this event will be in the area in the upcoming weeks. We’re excited to announce that Love Crumbs, led by Greenfield resident Michael Dubuque, has been added to the Green River Festival, and will perform on Saturday, June 22. Thus Love, the post-punk band from Brattleboro, will headline Franklin County’s Pride celebration on June 15.

The Tree House Brewing Company in South Deerfield will launch its summer stage series on June 6 with a sold-out show by blues guitarist Gary Clark Jr.

Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield will host a new free concert series called Off the Common this summer. The series will happen the last Friday of every month at 5:30 p.m. from June to September. Music will be inside and food trucks, artists and games out on the common. The first show will be on June 28 and feature Sen Morimoto, a Japanese-American singer/multi-instrumentalist.

The arrival of summer also means that Coop Concerts is gearing up for its season of free Thursday night concerts at Greenfield Energy Park. The shows are presented by The Franklin County Musicians Cooperative, a nonprofit collective of musicians and music lovers who strive to promote live music in Franklin County. This is a community event, a gathering of music enthusiasts and local talent, all coming together to celebrate the joy of live music.

The concerts, which feature all types of music, feature three different acts each show and run from 6 to 8 p.m. A variety of styles of music will be in the air, including folk, country, indie rock, zydeco, Americana, and more. Rob Adams, a Coop member, said that in terms of performers, this year will be similar to past years, but noted that “they are better than ever!”

A few points to keep in mind: The concerts are free, but donations to help with the costs of running the shows are welcomed. Bring a chair or blanket to sit on, and don’t forget picnics are welcomed. Better yet, purchase dinner from nearby Mesa Verde, one of the sponsors of the series. These are very family-friendly events, as you’ll notice by all the kids running around the park. There will be no show on July 4th.

The schedule is as follows:

■May 30 — 133 Skeele, R & D (Rob Adams & Dennis Avery) and Small Change

■June 6 — Joe Graveline, Katie Clarke & Larry LeBlanc, The Frost Heaves and HaLes

■June 13 — Jennie McAvoy, Orlen, Gabriel, & Avery and Pat & Tex LaMountain.

■June 20 — Sue Kranz, The Klines and Austin & Elliott.

■July 11 — Joe Graveline, and 133 Skeele

■July 18 — John Stacey& Friends, Russ Thomas, Pat & Tex LaMountain

■July 25 — R & D ( Rob Adams & Dennis Avery), Olen, Gabriel, & Avery, and The Frost Heaves and HaLes

■Aug. 1 — Oen Kennedy, The Klines Band, and Small Change

■Aug. 8 — Austin & Elliott, Larry LeBlanc, and Brookside Project

■Aug. 15 — Rain date

■Aug. 22 — Jim Eagan, Jennie McAvoy, TBD

■Aug. 29 — Rain date

For more information, visit coopconcerts.org.

Sheryl Hunter is a freelance writer who resides in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national publications. She can be reached at Soundslocal@yahoo.com.