Suzanne Davis performs The Carole King Songbook, courtesy TapestryLive.com
While the arts have always played a key role in Banner Elk, the town takes it up a notch in 2025 with its first-ever Summer of Music. Top-level national, regional and local acts take the stage at a variety of venues from June 1 to Labor Day.
The schedule features 90-plus live performances, highlighted by Country Music Hall of Famer Jimmy Fortune, bluegrass stars Jim Lauderdale and Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer John Oates and Gary Morris, who has five No. 1 country songs.
Several nationally renowned tribute bands perform during the town’s FORUM music series.
Those acts include: Miami Sound Revue, So Good: The Neil Diamond Experience, Bee Gees Now!, Tapestry: The Carole King Songbook, and Liverpool Legends, a Beatles tribute band hand-picked by George Harrison’s sister, Louise Harrison.
*See our Events Calendar for all dates, times and details
Beatles tribute band, Liverpool Legends
Free concerts are on tap several days a week, anchored by Thursday evening Concerts in the Park at the town amphitheater, along with shows on Friday and Saturday nights in the heart of town on the Village of Banner Elk’s open-air stage.
Sundays with Sam round out the summer weekends with afternoon music at Kettell Beerworks featuring singer-songwriter extraordinaire Sam Fanthorpe.
Highlights of Thursday’s family-friendly Concerts in the Park are: 70’s Kids, Funkupation, The Extraordinaires and The Rewind: A Tribute to the ’80s.
Notables from the Friday and Saturday Village Summer Concert Series include: Pressley Laton Band, Throwdown Jones, Gotcha Groove, Big Fun Band and Adam Church.
On Saturday, July 5, a special addition to the Village Summer Concert Series lets you spend the night together with Satisfaction: The International Rolling Stones Tribute Show. Satisfaction has 25 years touring experience with more than 4,000 performances worldwide.
The group brings an energetic, authentic performance to each era of The Rolling Stones. They look and sound so much like The Stones that the Washington Post calls it, “A spot on portrayal” and New York Examiner describes it as, “The best show of its kind … ever!”
We know it’s only rock and roll, but you’ll like it, like it, yes you will!
The longstanding music series at Banner Elk Café also takes place Friday and Saturday nights with a strong lineup of local and regional musicians, and multi-night musicals from Lees-McRae Summer Theater draw large audiences to Hayes Auditorium at Lees-McRae College.
Factor in nearby live music at Grandfather Winery & Vineyard and Beech Mountain Resort’s Summer Concert Series, and there are more than 100 shows to choose from.
“We invite everyone to enjoy music in the mountains this summer as Banner Elk continues its strong rebound from Hurricane Helene,” says Banner Elk tourism director Nancy Owen.
For a complete list of dates, times and ticket info, go to: https://www.bannerelk.com/events/
John Oates from Hall & Oates performs June 20 in Banner Elk, NC