Free Concert Series in the Washington, DC Area

I love music, but I love to see music live and in person. However, the concert going experience has changed in the past couple years. High tickets and outrageous service fees have made some concerts out of reach for some. In addition, you got music venue (see Nissan Pavilion) that are far out to travel, and even more difficult to leave. However, there are concert series in DC metro region that won’t cost you a pretty penny to attend. Here are some good ones:

Fort Reno Concert Series: It’s been a DC summer tradition for over 3 decades. Unlike other concert series, this is mostly run by volunteers. Among those who grace their stage in the past includes Fugazi and Q Not U. This year’s series include live performances by DC based artists Gist, Metropolitan, City Goats, Mary Timony, Brandon Butler, Head-Roc, Wooly Mammoth and more. These concerts start at 7 p.m. Monday and Thursday. Fort Reno is located across the street from Woodrow Wilson High School (closest Metro: Tenleytown-AU).

4th Annual Rock at the Row Summer Concert Series: A few blocks from Pentagon City Mall, Pentagon Row is a mixture of shops, restaurants and over 500 apartment homes. For the 4th year in a row, it holds their annual summer concert series. It features a variety of music from Rock and Roll to Swing. Show starts at 7 p.m. on Thursday. (Closest Metro: Pentagon City)

Live On Woodrow Wilson Plaza: If you work in downtown DC, you can check out the free summer concert series at Woodrow Wilson Plaza on the grounds of the Reagan Building. From salsa to strings, and blues to swing, Live On Woodrow Wilson Plaza features hot entertainment in a cool café atmosphere throughout the summer. Show starts at 12 p.m. Monday-Friday Closest Metro: Federal Triangle