Friday fun: Free concerts

You can’t swing a dead squirrel north of 96th Street these days without hitting a cooler-and-blanket-toting suburbanite headed for a free concert.

(And that’s only a slight exaggeration.)

The town of Fishers is making the most of the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater’s inaugural season, moving its wildly popular Tuesday night summer concerts there and adding Friday night acoustic performances and a monthly country-music series to the lineup.

Local and regional musicians provide the entertainment for Fridays After Dark events, which run from 8-10 p.m. through Sept. 13 at the outdoor amphitheater. The shows have drawn several hundred free-music fans each week so far, and food trucks have started rolling into town to feed them.

By comparison, attendance at the Tuesday performances runs into the thousands.

Also new this year: the Fishers In The Country Music Series, held at the amphitheater on the first Saturday of every month (July 6, Aug. 3 and Sept. 7) from 7-9:30 p.m.

And Fishers is far from alone. Here’s a rundown on other free concerts in the area:

Noblesville

7 p.m. Thursdays (July 11, July 18 and July 25) at Forest Park. During June, the concerts were held at Dillon Park.

Carmel

7:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Carmel Gazebo outside City Hall.

6-9 p.m. select Saturdays (June 29, July 27 and Aug. 3) on Main Street at the Monon Trail, featuring jazz musicians.

Zionsville    

7:30-8:40 p.m. Wednesdays through July at Lincoln Park.

7-9 p.m. Sundays in July at Lions Park.

(Did I miss something? Feel free to add your favorites in the comments section below.)