By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY – Staff Writer

The free Friday Night Summer Concert Series at Lake Gregory and Farmers Market will be held in the North Shore parking lot at Lake Gregory Regional Park beginning this Friday, April 28. The concert series for the first four weeks will be held on the north shore parking lot at the corner of Lake Gregory Drive and Lake Drive, with the band playing on the adjacent patio. “The concert series will continue weekly, moving to the South Shore Beach Pavilion area, beginning Memorial Day weekend and continuing through September 15, with weather, participation and enthusiasm permitting,” said Concert Series organizer Sara Green.

The twenty vendors and artisan marketplace start at 4 p.m. in the parking lot, making parking limited, so be prepared to walk from street parking. Remember to park inside the white lines out of the street lanes, so you don’t get a ticket and don’t park on the walking path. Vendors will be open through 8 p.m.  The event is pet-friendly.

There will be two to three food trucks each week, including Buddy’s BBQ some weeks, and the trucks will be alternating for variety. The first week the trucks will be Pacific Azul and Aqua Compitas.

The big news is the Farmer’s Market addition, with the announcement that Goodwin’s Market will be the major veggie and organic fruit provider this spring and summer, along with breads, and, hopefully, they will be able to bring their fresh juices. There will be three additional farmers bringing fruits, avocados and berries from The Nectarine Boy; Honey from Faby’s Bees, and after Memorial Day, Coachella Urban gardens will bring microgreens.

There are a variety of artisans and vendors, along with the fresh fruits and vegetables. The cottage food that will be at the market will be breads and jams, soup mixes, Solo Brew Coffee Roaster and artisan wood-fired pizza, and Tina’s Toast will also be returning.

Don’t forget to join the Craft Beer Mug Club (photo by Rhea-Francis Tetley)

The Bear Claw will again have a weekly beer garden. Also, as a fund raiser, Firework Haze IPA will be for sale to raise funds for the fireworks during Jamboree Days.  Craft beers and wine from SoCal.Beer will be showcasing a different brewer each month. There will be also “The Mug of the Month Club” where members can buy a mug of beer and return with the mug each week and get 22 oz of beer for the price of 16 ounces. There will also be a hot dog special and brats for sale.

The first weekend, the patio area will be jammin’ out with the popular local group “The By-Products.” See their Instagram page at @byproductsrock. The bands will play from 5 to 8 p.m. with a short break. The second week the concert will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo with “The Unknowns,” featuring Miguel from Tony’s Restaurant. A new band will be playing the 3rd Friday night, on May 12: “Viper and the Deckhands” will be playing Americana, folk and country music. The fourth Friday will be Neil Bradley and the Black Dogs playing rock and roll. They are the popular house band at the Black Dog Social Club in Green Valley Lake.  The next weekend will be the Friday that begins Memorial Day weekend, so the concert, farmers market and vendor marketplace will begin taking place in the South Shore Pavilion, with the big south shore parking lot available.  Admission is always free.

The Opening Day of the Friday Night Concert series is this Friday, April 28th, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the North Shore parking lot of Lake Gregory in Crestline and is sponsored by Wears the Mountain, The Lake Gregory Company, Goodwin’s Market and Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Company.