Carbondale has long been home to a cherished local music scene, but with the development of the new Downtown Entertainment and Events Plaza, venues hosting local and touring bands, and non-profits investing time and energy into live entertainment, it is ever growing as a nationally centralized music hub.  

We recently shared that a 2 million dollar RISE grant was awarded to the City of Carbondale for Phase 2 of the Downtown Entertainment and Events Plaza- with there being such a buzz of live entertainment we wanted to take the opportunity to share the many avenues in which you can experience top notch performances here in Carbondale! 

Brown Bag Concert Series- Carbondale Main Street produces free concerts every Wednesday from 12-1 PM through the months of May- June, featuring local artists in an intimate setting at the Town Square Pavilion. Guests are encouraged to bring lunch from a local establishment, which gains them an extra ticket for a giveaway contest to local stores and restaurants. Find the lineup of musicians and more details here: https://carbondalemainstreet.com/events/brown-bag/ 

Sunset Concerts- The Sunset Concert Series is in its 46th year of bringing lively entertainment to Carbondale residents over the peak of summer! Beginning June 12th and running through July 24th, these concerts take place every Thursday evening, held either on the front steps of Shryock Auditorium or the Gazebo at Turley Park. This series is a beloved staple for Carbondale residents, regional neighbors, and SIU students who stick around for the summer. Artist lineup and event details can be found here: https://spc.rso.siu.edu/events/sunset-concerts.php 

The Varsity Center- Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Thursday May 15th / Woodbox Gang, Friday, June 13 

Bronwyn Keith- Hynes: On Thursday May 15th, Grammy Award winning Nashville artist, and fiddle virtuoso, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes will take the stage at The Varsity Center. Locals may have caught Bronwyn at the 2023 Carbondale Halloween Off the Rails Concert playing fiddle as part of the co-billed Lindsey Lou/Kyle Tuttle Band concert. As of late she has been touring with the incomparable Molly Tuttle and The Golden Highway and has embarked on her own tour promoting her new album, “I Built A World” in which she highlights a new instrument- her voice. This album includes the likes of Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Molly Tuttle, Dierks Bentley, Brit Taylor, Darrell Scott, Dudley Connell and Jason Carter. Opening for Bronwyn will be local legend Mark Stoffel and the Kitchen Table Crew- Mila Maring, John Reimbold, and Nate Graham. Bronwyn and Mark have both graced the stage of the Grand Ole Opry and many other world-renowned venues- catch these amazing artists right here in Downtown Carbondale: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bluegrass-concert-features-award-winning-bronwyn-keith-hynes-tickets-1296283782689?aff=ebdsoporgprofile 

Woodbox Gang: On Friday, June 13th The Woodbox Gang will release their first album in 12 years! The Woodbox Gang have spent a quarter of a century creating vibrant and timeless music, combining the traditional sounds of American roots music with a raw and ragged sensibility. From the rickety stage floors of a church in downtown Makanda to the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., The Woodbox Gang has excited audiences of all kinds over the years. Recently, the band played only a handful of shows, often digging into the vault for tunes written more than 20 years earlier, now offering highly anticipated new tunes for eager audience members in the Big Room at The Varsity this June.  Chicago Farmer will open the show with his sharp wit and amazing storytelling in his music.  

SI Music Fest- Now in its 21st season, the 2025 Southern Illinois Music Festival runs May 23 through June 8, under the artistic and administrative direction of SIU School of Music Emeritus Professor Edward Benyas. Professional singers, instrumentalists and dancers from across the United States and Europe converge in Southern Illinois to perform orchestral and chamber music, opera, jazz and educational programs, along with select SIU faculty and students. The Festival promotes our region’s reputation for cultural activity on a national scale. Symphony magazine listed it as the only professional music festival in Illinois south of I-80, AAA magazine described it as a Midwest Travel Treasure, and the Chicago Tribune cited it as one of 24 top summer activities (musical and otherwise) in an eight-state region. http://www.sifest.com/ 

Off the Rails- Last but not least in the seasonal lineup of free concert series in Carbondale, is the Off the Rails Concert Series! Located in Downtown Carbondale at the site of the new Downtown Entertainment and Events Plaza, this series offers free lively concerts twice a month, August-October, right in the heart of Downtown. A few of these concerts are paired with larger community events. Save the dates and stay tuned for artists announcements for these epic concerts: 

Saturday, August 9 & 23 

Saturday, September 6  

Saturday, September 20- Hemp, Hops & Shrooms Festival 

Friday, October 3- SIU Family Weekend 

Friday, October 24, Cdale Halloween & SIU Homecoming (concert held in the middle of downtown strip!) 

 
For more information and media requests contact: 

Eva Fisher 

618-713-0711  

efisher@carbondaletourism.org