Preliminary schedule set for Mason District summer concerts

The first concert, June 1 at Mason District Park, features the Toast Big Band, seen here performing at the park last summer. [Photo from a video by Bob Kovacs.]

The preliminary schedule for free Spotlight by Starlight concerts this summer has been set. The shows are presented by the Fairfax County Park Authority and Friends of Mason District Park.

Concerts featuring a variety of musical styles take place at the amphitheater in Mason District in Annandale at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, beginning June 1. International shows with music and dance are on Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. at Ossian Hall Park in Annandale, beginning June 7. 

The final schedule, which will include Saturday morning children’s shows at Mason District Park and additional cultural heritage performances, is expected to published online May 1. Here’s the tentative lineup:

JUNE – Mason District Park
1—The Toast (big band, swing)
4—The David Kitchen Band (pop/rock)
6—The U.S. Air force Singing Sergeants (chorale)
8—The City of Fairfax Concert Band 
11—The Danger Zone (rock)
13—Mariachi Los Amigos
15—Balalaika Orchestra (Russian)
18—Capital Focus Jazz Band
20—Tosello & Tangolando (Latin American jazz) 
22—Kings Park Band (big band)
25—Willem Moller & Bruce Ewan (blues)
27 —Lori Williams & Friends (jazz)
30—Solas (Irish)

JUNE – Ossian Hall Park
7—Chinese Cultural Heritage Night
14—West African Cultural Heritage Night
21—Taiwanese Cultural Heritage Night
28—Irish Cultural Heritage Night

JULY – Mason District Park
2—Swing Shift (big band/swing)
6—The NOVA Annandale Symphony Orchestra
9—The Stray Birds (bluegrass)
11—Wayne Henderson with Jeff Little and Hellen White (bluegrass)
13—National Concert Band of America (big band)
16—Memphis 59 (roots rock/alt country)
18—HuDost (Middle Eastern/Sufi alternative)
20—The Capitol Steps (satirical review)
23—Brad and Ken Kolodner (roots)
25—Tom Principato (blues)
27—Incendio (Latin)
30—Craig Gildner & the Blue Sky 5 (jazz)

JULY – Ossian Hall Park
19—Indonesian Cultural Heritage Night
26—Bolivian Cultural Heritage Night

AUGUST – Mason District Park
1— Bruce Molsky & the Jumpsteady Boys (old time)
3—Claire Lynch Band (bluegrass)
6—Andrew Acosta String Band (bluegrass)
8—Tom Paxton (folk)
10—The Tom Cunningham Orchestra (big band)
13—Gallagher, Stang and Lewis (rock)
15—MSG – the Acoustic Blues Trio (Piedmont blues)
17—Samantha Fish (blues)
20—The Hot Seats (bluegrass)
22—Kayhan Kalhot (Persian traditional)
24—The Hot Society Orchestra of Washington (1920s and 30s jazz)
29—Quin Tango 
31—The New Dominion Band (variety)

AUGUST – Ossian Hall Park
2—Vietnamese Cultural Heritage Night
9—Korean Cultural Heritage Night
23—Peruvian Cultural Heritage Night
30—Colombian Cultural Heritage Night