Nothing says summer more than being outdoors. Add live music to the mix and you’ve created a recipe for the perfect summer activity. 

Some of Northwest Philadelphia and Southeast Montgomery County’s most picturesque parks will host outdoor concert series in the upcoming weeks. These events are free and offer the public an opportunity to discover talented local artists. Grab a lawn chair or blanket and bring your family and friends to listen to some tunes.

Cisco Park (Erdenheim)

The gazebo at James A. Cisco Park in Erdenheim (200 Montgomery Ave.) will transform into a stage on Thursday nights from June 5 to July 24 from 6-7:30 p.m. These performances are hosted by the Springfield Township Parks and Recreation Department and sponsored by Dan Helwig Inc. Realtors and Scoogis Italian Kitchen & Bar.

Each Thursday during the series, family-friendly musicians will perform with Hillcrest Pond in the background. The Revolving Doors, a local classic rock group, will take the stage on June 12, while 309 Express, a country/Americana band, will round out the month on June 26. 

To see the full lineup, visit the Springfield Township Parks and Recreation Facebook page.

Pastorius Park (Chestnut Hill)

Summer concerts at Pastorius Park (8177 Roanoke St.) have been a beloved community tradition since 1949. Each year, the Chestnut Hill Community Association (CHCA) puts together a talented lineup of musicians to perform a diverse array of music amidst the beautiful walking paths and pond of Pastorius Park. This year’s series will run seven weeks, from June 18 to July 30 on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.

Anne McNiff, executive director of the CHCA, said these concerts are a meaningful tradition because they incorporate two essential elements of Chestnut Hill: the beauty of the neighborhood’s green spaces and bringing the community together.

“Pastorius Park is so beautiful and it was designed to be a natural amphitheater," McNiff said. “It’s really important to [the CHCA] to bring community together, and this is a perfect way to do it around music. We work really hard to pick different genres and different groups so there’s something to appeal to everybody.”

Johnny Shortcake — the family-friendly alter ego of funk bandleader/“America’s Got Talent” competitor/actor David Sweeny, aka, Johnny Showcase — will perform on June 18 (starting at 6:30 p.m.), bringing his unique silly soul music to kids. On June 25, Cecilia Zabala will perform a blend of jazz, tango, and Brazilian music. Throughout the rest of the summer, other performers include the Celtic folk band House of Hamill and modern chamber music group the New River Ensemble.

To see the full list of performances, visit chestnuthill.org.

Gorgas Park (Roxborough)

Gorgas Park (6300 Ridge Ave.) will not only hos concerts this summer, but also movie nights and other special events. On June 26, the Merion Concert Band will prepare residents for the upcoming holiday with Fourth of July showtunes starting at 7 p.m. On June 28, the Solstice Summer Music Fest & Beer Garden will land at Gorgas Park from 3-9 p.m. In addition to food trucks, Ben Arnold & the 48 Hour Orchestra and John Faye & Pawnshop Roses will perform.

Throughout the rest of the summer, highlights of Gorgas Park’s lineup include the rock and folk group the Mitchell Street Phillbillies on July 24 from 7-9 p.m, a Vets Tribute Day to honor those who have served, with live music on July 26, and a Kids Movie Night on Aug. 26.

To see the full list of events, visit the Friends of Gorgas Park Facebook page.

Allens Lane Park (Mt. Airy)

This year, Allens Lane Park (601 W. Allens Lane) will, for the first time, host an outdoor summer concert series. Called Park Jams, performed every second Thursday evening at 6 p.m., these free concerts highlight popular area indie-folk musicians, and will be open to families, friends, and neighbors to come together and enjoy music under the open sky.

Allens Lane Art Center, located at the park, recently brought on Caleb Cliff as resident curator of music. Cliff helped set inaugural concerts in motion. Autumn Blalock, performing arts coordinator at Allens Lane, said the organization hopes to create a new tradition exploring the musical diversity of Philadelphia.

“There's such a rich music scene in the northwest and in Philadelphia as a whole, and we really wanted to bring it to our corner of Philadelphia in Mount Airy,” Blalock said. “I think [Park Jams will be] not only a really special experience, but one that people are going to be hungry for every summer.”

Birdie Busch will kick things off on June 12, with Karl Blau following on July 10, and Raji Malik and Andrew Jacoby wrapping up on Aug. 14.

To learn more about Park Jams, visit allenslane.org.

Ambler Arts & Music Festival (Ambler)

The Ambler Arts & Music Festival will take place on June 13 and 14, shutting down Butler Avenue from Main to Lindenwold Streets and featuring over 85 regional artists. Besides the arts exhibitors and food vendors, there will also be two days of free live musical performances starting on Friday evening and going for 12 hours on Saturday.

Performances vary from rock and reggae to folk and funk. Steal the Night, a hard-rock band made entirely of five Ambler natives and Wissahickon High School graduates, will start the show at 6 p.m. on June 13. The two other acts on Friday are The Verdict Reggae Soca Band, who have jammed with legends such as Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder; and Alex Shillo & Badland’s Tribute to Bruce Springsteen, New England-based performers who love to honor “The Boss.”

On day two, starting at 12:30 p.m., expect to hear from musicians such as Fallon’s Religion, two songwriters inspired by southern rock and gospel influences. The Back to the Eighties Show with Jessie’s Girl will finish up the festival at 9:30 p.m. with a tribute to classic ‘80s songs.

See the full list of performers at amblerfest.org.

Maggie Dougherty can be reached at Margaret@chestnuthilllocal.com.