The first day of summer is Thursday June 20, and the annual TGIF Concerts in the Parks series starts the next day.
The free TGIF Concerts in the Parks are undoubtedly the highlight of summer in Carlsbad.
This outdoor concert series may even be the best summer entertainment option in North San Diego County. The series was voted the 4th best outdoor concert series in the US in the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards by USA Today for 2023.
What could be better than free live music in a beautiful Carlsbad park on a Friday summer evening?
This is the 37th season of Carlsbad’s TGIF Concerts in the Parks. The concerts are presented by the City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts Office. This year there are concerts are 9 consecutive Friday nights in 3 of Carlsbad largest community parks.
You can read about the new security enhancements for 2024 here. These include perimeter fencing at the venues and security screening at the entrance gates.
The TGIF Concerts are popular with visitors and residents and have been for several decades. So what can you expect? Lots of people dining al fresco, a sea of blankets and low back chairs, plenty of kids, dancing, and 2 hours of live music.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE TGIF CONCERTS IN THE PARKS
The TGIF Concerts start at 6 PM and run until approximately 8 pm, with intermission generally around 6:45 or 7:00. They raffle off some great prizes during intermission. Funds raised from raffle ticket sales support a variety of arts programs in Carlsbad.
Here’s the schedule for 2024:
June 21, June 28, July 5, July 12 – Stagecoach Community Park – 3420 Camino de los Coches
July 19, July 26, August 2 – Calavera Hills Community Park – 2997 Glasgow Drive
August 9 and August 16 – Alga Norte Community Park – 6565 Alicante Road
You can read about the bands that will be performing at each concert here.
The TGIF Concerts tends to get pretty crowded so plan accordingly for the best parking and seats (if you want to be up front). The venues open at 4 pm. If you arrive near concert time you can expect to park some distance away.
There are free shuttles at the Calavera Hills and Alga Norte venues. In addition, there will be signs directing you where to park. 2 to 3 shuttles will operate continuously from 4:15 until 9:15.
Furthermore, Stagecoach Park has parking across the street at La Costa Canyon High School.