By Katie Soenke, Pikes Peak Courier

On every second Wednesday evening in Woodland Park, neighbors begin arriving well before the music starts.

They come carrying lawn chairs, picnic blankets and coolers. Children dart across the grass. Friends wave from across the lawn. Someone spots a familiar face and stops to chat.

Soon, music fills the air at Midland Pavilion, but for many in the Ute Pass region, the concerts themselves are only part of the attraction.

Throughout the mountain communities of Woodland Park, Green Mountain Falls and beyond, free outdoor concerts have become a modern-day front porch.

They are places where residents gather, reconnect and strengthen the relationships that make mountain living special.

“That’s exactly what I love about it,” said Melody Klema Campbell, manager of event centers for the Ute Pass Cultural Center. “I love seeing the community together. It’s always multi-generational. We have little kids up to our retired folks, and the whole family out there dancing and smiling.”

Campbell oversees the popular summer concert series at Midland Pavilion, the green space between the Ute Pass Cultural Center and the Woodland Park library. Sponsored by Pikes Peak Credit Union, the concerts are free and open to the public.

The concerts began as an extension of the Cultural Center’s monthly indoor music series, but demand quickly grew.

“The summertime concerts became so popular that we added additional concerts in June and July,” Campbell said.

Today, residents regularly fill the lawn, creating an atmosphere that feels more like a neighborhood gathering than a formal event.

Concertgoers bring chairs and blankets, enjoy offerings from rotating food trucks and gather beneath one of the area’s most recognizable views.

“We have Woody’s Bar outside, a food truck and a beautiful view of Pikes Peak,” Campbell said.

The scene is repeated across the Ute Pass corridor each summer. In Green Mountain Falls, concertgoers gather around Gazebo Lake Park, while other mountain communities host their own musical traditions, like this weekend.

Instead of heading home after work or spending another evening online, residents linger for hours.

Children dance near the stage while retirees visit with neighbors. Newcomers meet longtime residents.

“It’s free, so we can provide this to all of our community members,” Campbell said. “That’s really important.”

The concerts also help support local businesses. The sponsor, Pikes Peak Credit Union, covers the cost of performers, while food trucks and vendors benefit from the steady crowds.

As the series has grown, so has interest from musicians. Campbell, herself a longtime performer in the region, said bands now regularly contact the Cultural Center hoping to perform.

“When we first started, they were mostly groups that I knew or had worked with,” she said. “Now we have a list of bands wanting to perform.”

Whether the evening features blues, Americana or classic rock, Campbell believes the real draw remains the same.

For a few hours, neighbors gather, children play and strangers become friends.

To prepare for the free UPCC Community Concert Summer Pavilion Series sponsored by Pikes Peak Credit Union, families should head to the green space at 210 E. Midland Ave in Woodland Park.

Since seating is not provided under the Midland Pavilion, you must bring your own lawn chairs or blankets to sit comfortably on the grass.

The concerts run from 6-8 p.m., but you will want to arrive early because the onsite food truck and Woody’s Bar open up at 5:30 p.m.

The remaining lineup you can look forward to includes folk, Americana, or classic rock covers and originals, featuring:

• Harriette and the Harmony on July 08, 2026
• Boomtown Stringband on July 22, 2026 and
• The Hot Boots Band on August 12, 2026

There will also be two free indoor concerts at The Shining Mountain Golf Course on 7/17 and 8/1. For information about upcoming concerts, visit www.utepasscc.org.