Free Big-Name Shows on Scioto Mile

Columbus Recreation and Parks has set a summer lineup of free outdoor shows and festivals along the Scioto Mile, with concerts scheduled from June through late September at Bicentennial Park. The city announced the 2026 season on May 1, saying the downtown riverfront program will include six evening concerts, Jazz & Rib Fest in July and CBUS Soul Fest over Labor Day weekend. The events are presented as open-admission programming on the riverfront, with food and drinks available at several dates. Bernita A. Reese, director of Columbus Recreation and Parks, said in the city’s release that the downtown riverfront offers “free family entertainment” through the summer. ### Which shows are actually part of the free Scioto Mile concert series? The Scioto Mile Concert Series will bring six free performances to the Bicentennial Park Stage, with all shows scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., according to Columbus Recreation and Parks and the Scioto Mile events page. The dates are June 5, June 28, July 10, Aug. 14, Sept. 18 and Sept. 25. (content.govdelivery.com) The June 5 opener features Blind Boys of Alabama, listed on the Scioto Mile page as “Songs in the Key of Life: A Celebration of Stevie Wonder.” The remaining lineup includes the Columbus Symphony Orchestra on June 28, Ruthie Foster on July 10, Dumpstaphunk on Aug. 14, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra on Sept. 18 and the Dan Tyminski Band on Sept. 25. The city’s May 1 release described Blind Boys of Alabama as six-time Grammy winners, Ruthie Foster as a Grammy-winning blues singer-songwriter, Dumpstaphunk as a New Orleans funk group and Tyminski as a 14-time Grammy-winning bluegrass artist. (content.govdelivery.com) ### Where are the concerts, and what should people expect on site? Bicentennial Park, at 233 S. Civic Center Drive, is the listed location for the Scioto Mile summer programming and for CBUS Soul Fest later in the season. The Scioto Mile events page says concertgoers can bring blankets and gather at the riverfront stage for the free shows. (content.govdelivery.com) Food and drinks will be available starting at 6 p.m. for the concert series, one hour before the listed showtime, according to the Scioto Mile page. Columbus Recreation and Parks said the concert series is being presented in partnership with the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and Columbus Jazz. (sciotomile.com) ### Are the bigger festival weekends part of the same summer push? Jazz & Rib Fest is scheduled for July 24-26 at West Bank Park and Bicentennial Park along the downtown riverfront, according to the festival website and the city release. The event is free to attend and will run from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 24 and July 25, and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on July 26. (sciotomile.com) The city’s May 1 release listed headline combinations for the West Bank Park stage: Keiko Matsui and Jonathan Butler on July 24, Huntertones and Jeffrey Osborne on July 25, and Adam Hawley and PJ Morton on July 26. The same release said the Bicentennial Park stage will host “The Nancy Wilson Way,” a tribute to the Columbus singer, on July 24. (hotribscooljazz.org) ### What else is on the Scioto Mile calendar later in the summer? CBUS Soul Fest is scheduled for Sept. 4-5 at Bicentennial Park, with free admission both days, according to the event website. The posted lineup lists Stokley for 8 p.m. on Sept. 4 and Lalah Hathaway for 8 p.m. on Sept. 5, with additional performances by Cherimondis J, N’Shai Iman, Gabrielle Solange, Ria Blaq, DJ BLCKUNICORN and DJ IQ. (content.govdelivery.com) The city’s release also included FountainFest as the season kickoff over Memorial Day weekend, with DJ IQ and Puppy Pals Live on May 23. That event has already passed, but it marked the start of the larger summer schedule the city is using to program the riverfront through September. ### When is the next date people can actually attend? (cbussoulfest.com) June 5 is the next scheduled Scioto Mile concert date, with Blind Boys of Alabama set to open the free series at 7 p.m. at Bicentennial Park. The full summer schedule, including the June 28 Columbus Symphony performance, the July 10 Ruthie Foster show and later festival dates, is posted on the Scioto Mile and Columbus Recreation and Parks event pages. (content.govdelivery.com) (sciotomile.com)