Free and Cheap Summer Concerts for Houston Families

Summer wouldn't be summer without popsicles, splashpads and FREE concerts! Many of these concerts aren't aimed directly at kids but don't be afraid to bring your children, as it's a great opportunity to expose them to all different kinds of music. Whether you bring the whole family or make it a date night, grab your dancing shoes or just grab a blanket, pack a picnic, and enjoy some blues, jazz, bluegrass, rock 'n roll, or pop music! (But if movies are more your speed, check out our roundup of free and cheap summer movies.)

Discovery Green and Avenida Houston - Downtown Houston
1500 McKinney St., Houston 77010
713-330-7336
Discovery Green and Avenida Houston have live music almost every night of the week. Check the Mommy Poppins Calendar daily to see what's happening. There are also several special events throughout the summer, like the Fab 40's homage to The Beatles on June 17 and Rainbow on the Green, a free LGBTQ celebration, on June 23.

Miller Outdoor Theatre Concert Series - Museum District
6000 Hermann Park Drive, Houston 77030
832-487-7102
Free, assigned seat tickets are available at the Miller Theatre Box Office on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the day of the performance. Remaining tickets are given out one hour before the concert starts. Come prepared with blankets, lawn chairs, and a picnic! Heart By Heart, a rock-and-roll concert, is on June 16, A Gulf Coast Juneteenth is June 19, and Hear the Artists of Tomorrow, a concert featuring young musicians, is June 26-27.

Summer Symphony Nights at Miller Outdoor Theatre - Museum District
6000 Hermann Park Drive, Houston 77030
832-487-7102
Expose your children to classical music at these amazing concerts, which are part of an annual Houston tradition. You can even celebrate Independence Day with a true Houston tradition at Miller Outdoor Theatre with patriotic tunes and post-concert fireworks. All shows start at 8:30 p.m.

June 23 - Beethoven's Eroica
June 24 - Mozart & Dvorak
June 30 - Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn
July 1 - Brahm's Symphony No. 4
July 4 - Star-Spangled Salute

Summer Community Concert Series - Various locations

These free and dynamic performances by the Houston Symphony feature selections from Bizet's Carmen, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty, and John Williams' E.T. the Extra-Terrestial. Get there 45 minutes early so the kids can play musical instruments in the Instrument Petting Zoo. All shows start at 7:30 p.m.

June 6 at Lilly Grove Missionary Baptist Church (Eado)
June 7 at Galena Park - North Shore Senior High School (Galena Park)
June 8 at Spring High School (Spring)
June 10 at Pasadena - Dobie High School (Pasadena)
June 13 at Cy-Fair - Cypress Ridge High School (Cy-Fair)

The Houston Symphony at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion - The Woodlands
2005 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands 77380
281-364-3010

Enjoy these concerts in The Woodlands. At the pavilion, mezzanine and lawn seating is free. Orchestra tickets $20- $25. All shows start at 8 p.m. There ie also a special Harry Potter concert July 21-22.

June 9 - Matilda in Concert
June 17 - Houston Symphony with The Suffers
July 3 - Star-Spangled Salute
July 8 - Symphonic Sights & Sounds
July 19 - Lemony Snicket's "The Composer is Dead"

Texas Music Festival Orchestra - The Woodlands
2005 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands 77380
281-364-3010
This FREE performance on June 23 features more than 100 musicians from around the world. The show begins at 8 p.m.

Free Concerts in the Park at Southdown Park - Pearland
2150 Countryplace Parkway, Pearland 77584
281-997-5970
Come out and relax to the tunes of a live band every Friday night for the rest of June at Southdown Park from 7-9 p.m. Food vendors will be on hand selling a delicious variety of foods while the Splash Pad and playground will be available for the kids. Bring your blankets, lawn chairs and picnic baskets then sit back and enjoy an evening of fun and family entertainment. You can even bring dogs on a leash.

June 9 - Bayou Roux - Zydeco
June 16 - Clarence Riley - Jazz
June 23 - City Nights - Variety
June 30 - Kelly McGuire - Tropical

Boomtown Brass Band at the Rothko Chapel - Museum District
3900 Yupon St., Houston 77006
713-524-9839
Enjoy high-energy hot jazz of 1920's New Orleans on July 6, along with complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from Saint Arnold's Brewing Company. Steel City Pops will also be on-site selling their delicious popsicles. The event is technically free, but a donation of $10 per guest is suggested.

Photo courtesy the City of Pearland