Reno’s Best End of Summer Concerts

School may be starting soon, but summer is far from over, and there are still a lot of great concerts coming up to round out the season.

With its dry heat, lack of bugs and temperate summer weather (especially over the last month), Reno is an ideal location for outdoor music festivals. And, as a quick stop between major cities with ample casino venues to perform in, Reno gets to host many big acts that might not otherwise stop in a city of this size.

Whether you want free community events or ticketed rock concerts, here’s the lineup of concerts taking place over the rest of summer 2025.

Photo: The Infamous Stringdusters, along with Leftover Salmon and the Kitchen Dwellers, will play J Resort's Glow Plaza this Friday, August 15. Photo courtesy Facebook

Free Community Concerts

At West Street Plaza (right by Wingfield Park), the Reno Philharmonic will play Harmony on the River every Tuesday evening through August 26. Food trucks show up at 6 p.m., and the music starts at 7 p.m. during this free, community-driven concert featuring the top brass of Reno’s own orchestra, right along the Truckee River in the heart of downtown.

Photo: There are two more weeks of Harmony on the River. Catch it August 19 and 26.

If you don’t happen to be downtown on a Tuesday evening, just across the way at Wild River Grille live performances will take place every night of the summer on the patio around 6:30 p.m. This Artown event will cycle through acts of every musical genre, so pull up a chair and grab a beer at the Grille any time you happen to be down there.

Heading deeper into downtown, Locomotion Plaza will have one last show in its summer concert series, Off the Rails, on August 29 from 7 to 10 p.m. This lively, free event runs the gamut of funk, soul, blues, indie rock and more — an eclectic mix that jives with downtown Reno’s spicy vibe.

Photo: View of the outdoor stage at GSR during a summer nighttime show 

Big Names Coming to Town

Concert junkies have their pick of the litter this August, especially fans of rock, bluegrass, country and world music.

• Get ready to boogie with The Infamous Stringdusters & Leftover Salmon with Kitchen Dwellers at J Resort this Friday, August 15.
• Legendary band WAR, behind such hits as "Low Rider" and "Why Can't We Be Friends" plays Silver Legacy Resort Casino on August 15.
• Ice Nine Kills serves up horror-inspired hard-rock at GSR on August 16.
• Josh Turner plays his singer-songwriter country music at the Silver Legacy on August 17.
• The 39th annual Bowers Bluegrass Festival is in Washoe Valley, but it's worth the trip. See a variety of bluegrass bands from August 22 to 24.
• Latin music icon Marco Antonio Solís performs at the Reno Event Center on August 23.
• Millennial favorite Modest Mouse plays their classic indie hits at GSR on August 28.
• Electronic world fusion band Thievery Corp jams at the GSR on September 1.
• Baily Zimmerman stops at the GSR on September 12 as part of his New to Country tour

Off the Beaten Path

For a hidden gem far from the crowds, take a trip to The Lodge on Mount Rose Highway. They frequently have live music, such as their paid Salsa Night featuring Sonido Sueño, as well as plenty of free music nights throughout the week. This is an intimate, unforgettable location amid the pines that, once you know about, you’ll stop in every time you’re heading up the Mount Rose Highway.

Photo: Salsa Night at The Lodge, featuring Sonido Sueño

Cheers to a busy August of live music in our little desert oasis!

This is only a fraction of the music events taking place in Reno before Labor Day. To see a full list of upcoming events, visit our Nightlife listings.