Symphony on the Prairie is set to return with initial limits on capacity

Symphony on the Prairie is set to return—with the music of the Beatles on tap first.

After canceling last season due the pandemic, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Conner Prairie announced Monday that the 2021 season of the popular outdoor concert series will begin June 25 with “Revolution: The Music of the Beatles.” Tickets will go on sale May 24.

There will be a number of changes to traditional Symphony on the Prairie operations, however. Among them:

• New ticketing procedures mean customers must purchase date-specific tickets at the ISO’s website and have the tickets on hand to enter each performance.
• The first concerts will follow current CDC guidance, which means capacity will be limited to 4,000 to allow social distancing. If restrictions or recommendations change, later concerts could have up to 8,000 people.
• The dance floor area in front of the stage will not be open in 2021.
• Table rentals (six per table), reserved seating and the Huntington Sunset Lounge will be available in limited numbers on a first-come, first-served basis.

The ISO announced on May 4, 2020, that it was canceling that summer’s Symphony on the Prairie season—and its other live shows—because it believed that it would be “several months before musicians and patrons can safely gather for concerts in reasonable numbers.”

At the time, Gov. Eric Holcomb had laid out a plan that would have allowed concerts to resume mid-summer. However, the ISO said then that, “the remaining guidelines combined with the infrastructure required for producing Symphony on the Prairie is so complex that presenting a partial season is not financially feasible.”

Last summer’s cancellation was the only hiatus in the program’s 40-year history.

Here is this year’s Kroger Symphony on the Prairie schedule:

June 25 and 27
“Revolution: The Music of the Beatles, A Symphonic Experience,” conducted by Jack Everly

July 2-4
“Star-Spangled Symphony,” conducted by Jacob Joyce with special guests Kevin Lin and Dean Dorrell

July 9-10
“Face 2 Face,” a Billy Joel and Elton John tribute

July 23-24
to be determined

July 30-31
“One Night of Queen” performed by Gary Mullen and The Works

Aug. 6-7
The Temptations

Aug. 13-14
to be determined

Aug. 20-21
“Southern Accents: The Music of Tom Petty”

Aug. 27-28
“Legendary Ladies of Soul”

Sept. 3-4
“Brass Transit: The Music of Chicago”

Sept. 10-11
to be determined