Free Concerts and Live Music All Summer Long Around Ventura County

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We’re looking forward to another outstanding summer of free live music throughout Ventura County and surrounding areas! The compilation below has links to more detailed information.

Concerts subject to change. List will be updated regularly as new events are added.

Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Newbury Park

  • Free Concerts in the Park in Thousand Oaks starting at 5pm

    • Memorial Day Monday, May 26: Don’t Stop Believin’ (Journey Tribute)

    • Friday, July 4: The Springsteen Experience (Bruce Springsteen Tribute)

    • Sunday, July 20: The Tina Turner Tribute

    • Labor Day Monday, September 1: Skynyrd and Frynds (Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute)

  • City of Thousand Oaks Pop-Up Arts & Music Festival every Friday/Saturday from June 6 to June 2 at 7PM. Eight free concerts at eight locations. FREE!

    • June 6 at Spring Meadow Park - Shea Welsh & Friends

    • June 7 at Northwood Park - Gina Chavez

    • June 13 at North Ranch Neighborhood Park - 5-Star Theatricals

    • June 14 at Kimber Park - Lizzy & The Triggermen

    • June 20 at Suburbia Park - Bobby Alu

    • June 21 at Stagecoach Inn Lawn - Perla Batalla

    • June 27 at Canada Park - The Urban Renewal Project

    • June 28 at Triunfo Community Park - Abby Posner & The Big Fall

  • Saturday Night Concerts at Berniece Bennett Park in Westlake Village at 7pm

    • June 7: Queen Legion (Queen Tribute)

    • July 26: Rebel Heart (Country Hits)

    • August 9: Hot Yacht (Rock Dance Party)

    • August 23: Smooth Sounds of Santana (Santana Tribute)

  • City of Westlake Village TGIF Friday night performances at the Westlake Village Civic Center at 7pm

    • May 30: Agoura High School and Lindero Canyon Middle School Jazz Bands

    • June 20: Stone Soul (Motown Tribute)

    • August 1: 5-Star Theatricals

  • Free Summer Concert Series at Janss Marketplace on Wednesday nights, June 25 to August 6 from 6-8PM.

    • June 25: Stone Soul - Motown Dance Party

    • July 9: Hot Yacht - Yacht Rock Dance Party

    • July 16: Rag Dolls - Female Aerosmith Tribute

    • July 23: U2 Xperience - U2 Tribute

    • July 30: Unzepped - Unplugged Led Zeppelin Tribute

    • August 6: Ticket to Ride - Beatles Tribute

  • The Promenade at Westlake hosts live entertainment on Saturdays from 6:30-9:30PM from Memorial Day weekend (May 23) through Labor Day weekend (September 1) near the fountain.

Agoura/Oak Park/Calabasas/Woodland Hills

  • City of Agoura Hills Free Summer Concerts in the Park at Chumash Park. Concerts start at 6pm on the following Sunday nights:

    • June 16: Mirage (Fleetwood Mac Tribute)

    • July 6: DSB (Journey Tribute), followed by patriotic drone show

    • August 3: Queen Nation (Queen Tribute)

    • August 17: Brandon Ragan Project

  • Valley Cultural Foundation’s Free Concerts at Warner Park in Woodland Hills on Sunday nights from June 15 to August 24 (except the July 4th Friday event) at 5:30PM (emerging artist) followed by headline acts.

    • June 15: No Duh - A Tribute to No Doubt

    • June 22: DJ Quik

    • Friday, July 4: Councilmember Bob Blumenfield’s July 4th Extravaganza on Friday, July 4th, from 6-9:30PM featuring Strange Days - Tribute to the Doors

    • July 13: Twisted Typsy - Fleetwood Mac Tribute

    • July 20: Kenny Hale - The Music of Neil Diamond

    • July 27: Surfin’ - Tribute to The Beach Boys

    • August 3: Live From Earth - Pat Benatar Tribute

    • August 10: Which One’s Pink - Pink Floyd Tribute

    • August 17: DSB - Tribute to Journey

    • August 24: Locked Out of Heaven - Bruno Mars Tribute

  • Sun Sets Summer Concert Series at Calabasas Lake on Sunday nights at 6pm.

    • June 8: AbbaFab - The Premier ABBA Experience

    • July 20: Live From Earth - Pat Benatar Tribute

    • August 3: Stone Soul - Motown

    • August 24: Turn the Page - Tribute to Bob Seger

  • Music in the Park at Oak Canyon Community Park in Oak Park at 6:30pm

    • Saturday, July 12 - Kenny Metcalf - Elton John, The Early Years

Moorpark/Simi Valley

  • Summer Music in the Park Free Concerts at Rancho Simi Community Park on Saturday nights at 6:30pm.

    • June 21: Cali Country All Stars

    • July 19: Bruno Mars and Britney Spears Tribute

    • August 16: Led Zepagain (Led Zeppelin Tribute)

  • City of Moorpark Concerts in the Park at Arroyo Vista Park at 6pm

    • June 28: Electric Vinyl (Classic Rock)

    • June 28: Electric Vinyl (Classic Rock)

    • August 23: Juano and Friends (Rock, Cumbia, Oldies, R&B)

    • September 27: The Spazmatics (80s)

Camarillo/Oxnard/Port Hueneme/Ventura

Santa Barbara

Free Thursday Night Concerts at Chase Palm Park in Santa Barbara on Thursday nights, July 3, 10, 17 and 24 from 6-7:30pm.

Have something to add to this list? CONTACT US!!

Check the Events Calendar for things going on around town as well as the Local Events and Community Messages sections of Conejo Valley Guide.

Concert Venues in Ventura County and Adjacent Venues

Looking to attend a concert in the Conejo Valley, greater Ventura County and adjacent areas? Here’s a compilation of such concert venues. For a separate listing of local area restaurant and bars where you can catch live music, visit THIS LINK.

The Bank of America Performing Arts Center (BAPAC) Thousand Oaks is one of the largest performing arts centers between Los Angeles and San Francisco at over 200,000 square feet. Managed by the City of Thousand Oaks, the BAPAC encompasses two theatres – the 1,800-seat Fred Kavli Theatre and the 394-seat Janet and Ray Scherr Forum Theatre. Located at 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevardbapacthousandoaks.com

The Santa Barbara Bowl, located at 1122 N. Milpas Street, Santa Barbara, was originally built in 1936 and today with its capacity of nearly 5,000 people is the largest outdoor amphitheater in Santa Barbara County. www.sbbowl.com

The Majestic Ventura Theatre offers a 1920's Mission Style Architecture ambiance - you can see and feel close to the band from practically anywhere in the theater. All genres of music. 1200 capacity venue with multiple full bars, ballroom and occasional dinner shows. The theater is located at 26 S. Chestnut Ave., Venturawww.venturatheater.net 

Ventura Music Hall is located at 1888 E. Thompson Blvd in Ventura, hosting live music and offering craft food and drinks. www.venturamusichall.com

The Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center is a 220 seat theater at 3050 Los Angeles Avenue that hosts musicals, concerts, exhibits, children's theater and other events year-round.  The theater is a landmark Gothic structure built in the 1920s that was named as Ventura County Historical Landmark #67 in July 1981.  The building has served numerous purposes since inception and became the Cultural Arts Center in November 1995.  www.simi-arts.org

The Oceanview Pavilion located at 575 E. Surfside Drive in Port Hueneme offers concerts, theater, fairs, shows and a variety of other events for all ages.  The venue has a capacity for up to 1400 people and can be rented out for special events. www.oceanviewinfo.com

The Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center at 800 Hobson Way has over 1,600 seats in a theater that showcases local theater, dance, music and other programs. www.theopac.org

The High Street Arts Center at 45 E. High Street has been owned by the city of Moorpark since 2005, the theater now provides high quality theatrical performances and concerts at reasonable prices  www.highstreetarts.com

The Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University, located on campus at 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, showcases musicians, performers and artists from around the world at its Raitt Recital Hall (100 seats), Smothers Theatre (500 seats), Helen E. Lindhurst Theatre and the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art. www.arts.pepperdine.edu

The Canyon Club in the Whizin Market Square at 28912 Roadside Drive, Agoura Hills is a live concert venue and supper club that host all types of bands and genres, comedy, special events and more. There are tables if you’re there to enjoy dinner too. Capacity is about 600. wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com/canyon-agoura-hills

Libbey Bowl is located in the heart of Ojai near the corner of Ojai Avenue and Signal Street. It was originally built in 1957 and has been used for the annual Ojai Music Festival, Storytelling Festival, Ojai Day event, holiday celebrations and many other community events through the years. It accommodates 1,300 people. www.libbeybowl.org.

The historic Arlington Theatre is located at 1317 State Street in Santa Barbara. Built in the mission revival style, it seats over 2,000 attendees. thearlingtontheatre.com

The Beach Boys 1991 "Crocodile Rock" Music Video Filmed at Golf N' Stuff Ventura

"Crocodile Rock" was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and become Elton John's first U.S. number one single in February 1973. Eighteen years later, the Beach Boys recorded the song. Funny thing is that our own Golf N' Stuff in Ventura is featured in this kind of silly music video released in 1991.

Roughly half the video features familiar scenes from Golf N' Stuff, including several of the more prominent holes and structures as well as the bumper boats. Yes, the Beach Boys are featured on the bumper boats in their fedoras at Golf N' Stuff, along an offbeat display of scenes featuring a crocodile on the piano admired by a woman in a pink bikini, brief glimpses of Randy's Donuts and a cameo appearance by John Stamos.

Golf N' Stuff is often part of our family outings in Ventura County. Sign up for their email club and receive periodic special offers. Golf N' Stuff is among over 100 venues on this compilation of birthday party options in and around Ventura County.

Rod Stewart's "Forever Young" Music Video is Unmistakably Filmed in Hidden Valley

After posting a photo of crows flying over the Hidden Valley “straightaway” on Potrero Road in Hidden Valley, Mario M. pointed out that the the song “Forever Young” started playing on his radio as he was driving on Potrero Road. He then pointed out that Rod Stewart’s Forever Young video was filmed on that straightway. And he certainly was right.

I’m certainly familiar with this popular song, which reached number 12 on the 1988 Billboard Hot 100 after its release on July 3, 1988. But I was not aware of this particular video.


Here’s the photo of crows flying across the north end of the Potrero Road straightaway in Hidden Valley.

Here’s the photo of crows flying across the north end of the Potrero Road straightaway in Hidden Valley.

Here’s Rod Stewart singing to a child in the video, played by Alex Zuckerman.

Here’s Rod Stewart singing to a child in the video, played by Alex Zuckerman.

And another shot from the video, showing a car full of female teenagers not wearing seatbelts. For shame! :) We can see that the speed limit of 25 MPH has not changed since 1988.

And another shot from the video, showing a car full of female teenagers not wearing seatbelts. For shame! :) We can see that the speed limit of 25 MPH has not changed since 1988.

And….one more scene from the video.

And….one more scene from the video.

Hidden Valley is an unincorporated community in Ventura County, bordered by Newbury Park to the west and north, the Santa Monica Mountains on the south and Lake Sherwood to the east. It is not considered part of the Conejo Valley.

A key scene from the 1981 horror film, “The Hand,” starring Michael Caine, was filmed on this Potrero Road straightaway. It was THE scene of the movie, where Caine’s character’s (Jon Landsdale) hand went missing after a vehicular mishap on Potrero Road.

The Ventura County Classical Guitar Society Meets Monthly and is Open to the Public

What a small world it is. A Ventura County resident named Peter contacted us regarding making some additions to the local Live Music and Other Nightlife Options compilation.

Not more than a week or two later, while harvesting produce for local charity Food Forward, I struck up a conversation with another volunteer. His name was Peter. After a bit of bantering for over an hour, I mentioned Conejo Valley Guide® to him, to which he replied, "Oh, I know that website!" After a few more back and forths, I discovered that this was the same Peter that had recently emailed the site. Small world!

Peter told me that the Ventura County Classical Guitar Society is a hidden gem. The group of classical guitar enthusiasts meets generally the last Wednesday of the month at the Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District Senior Center (1605 Burnley Street, Camarillo).

He said that it is a fun session to attend is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6PM. Members of the group as well as guests perform for the group starting at 7PM (guest performers start at 8PM). Donations are accepted for guest performers.

So if you're up for an enjoyable evening of live classical guitar performances, visit www.vccgs.com and check out upcoming performances.

Upcoming planned performances:

  • 2/22/23: Rodrigo & Niccole

  • 3/29/23: Hugo Nogueira

John Fogerty and Family Perform "Green River" with the Conejo Valley Sunset in the Background

John Fogerty and his family have been giving weekly performances on Fogerty’s YouTube channel over the last month while in COVID-19 quarantine. John is joined by his sons Shane and Tyler and daughter Kelsy. All of their performances have been great; this rendition of “Green River” was also visually spectacular as we were treated to a birds eye view of a Conejo Valley sunset. Yes, many of you may see your homes from this vantage point, peaking into Newbury Park towards the Conejo Grade, Oxnard plain and beyond.

Shane and Tyler are members of the Los Angeles band Hearty Har.

Thank you to the Fogerty famlly for entertaining us during this coronavirus stay at home time.

Earlier videos shown below:

Neil Diamond Sings "Sweet Caroline" Updated with a COVID-19 Reminder in the Lyrics

Neil Diamond released “Sweet Caroline” in May 1969, well over 50 years ago. Diamond’s inspiration for the song was John F. Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline, who was 11 when the song was released.

Today he released a slightly modified version of Sweet Caroline on his YouTube channel with a subtle COVID-19 reminder to wash your hands!

“Hands,

Washing hands,

Reaching out,

Don’t touch me…

I won’t touch you.”

For local area COVID-19 updates in the Ventura County area, visit THIS LINK.