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Forest Concert Series: The Sounds of Freedom feat. DeeDee Jones & Spud Howard

Music/Performance Nature
North Forest
$12 (Members $10, 18/under free)
This event has passed
HOLIDAY HOURS: Crystal Bridges will be closed December 25 (Christmas Day).
HORARIO POR DÍAS FESTIVOS: Crystal Bridges estará cerrado el 25 de diciembre (Navidad).

This summer, spend your Saturday evenings enjoying live music at Crystal Bridges during the return of our Forest Concert Series! This set of socially distanced outdoor concerts merges national and local musicians in our beautiful North Forest, surrounded by art and nature. Bring your lawn chair or a blanket to enjoy live music and dancing under the forest trees. A food truck and cash bar will be available throughout the night, as well as artmaking activities. Check out the full summer lineup.

$12 ($10 for members, Free for youth ages 18 and under*), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

*Please Note: Though tickets for youth ages 18 and under are free, a ticket is required for entry. Reserve these tickets online or with Guest Services.

Per CDC guidelines, guests and staff who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are no longer required to wear face coverings. If guests are not vaccinated, face coverings are still required. Face coverings are still recommended for children 2 and up, unless they are vaccinated. Face coverings will be available upon entry for those who do not have one.

The Performers

one in green dress indoors, another in tan blazer outdoors near a stone wall.
DeeDee Jones and Spud Howard
DeeDee Jones and Spud Howard

Presented in collaboration with Music Moves, this Juneteenth celebration featuring DeeDee Jones and Spud Howard explores the genre of Black protest music from the 1970s to the present. Enjoy familiar favorites and learn new songs as Jones and Howard perform soulful, high-energy tributes to Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, and other influential Black artists as they delve into the heart of Black protest to produce a sound that reverberates around the world…and the North Forest!

Person in white shirt smiling, holding saxophone under bridge with stone and concrete background.
Eldredge Jackson
Opener: Eldredge Jackson

Opening for The Sounds of Freedom concert is contemporary jazz saxophonist Eldredge Jackson. He was born in New Orleans where, at the age of four, he informed his mother that he intended to become a saxophonist after hearing Vernard Johnson play. Jackson has built a regional following from his home in Tulsa and has shared the stage with urban jazz and R&B greats.

Want to upgrade your experience?

Reserve an all-inclusive VIP Forest Concert Globe! Guests in our VIP Forest Concert Globes will receive early admission to the North Forest and a shuttle ride to your globe. Once arrived, your Globe includes concierge beverage service for the evening, one savory and one sweet menu item per person, and reserved seats at the concert. Skip the lines at the food truck and bar by reserving your all-inclusive Forest Concert Globe Experience, and let us bring the drinks to you. Limited VIP Forest Concert Globes are available, reserve yours now! Concert tickets and reserved seats near the stage are included in your Globe reservation. VIP Forest Concert Globes (4 person minimum up to 8 people) — $89 plus tax per person. Learn more about what’s included with the Forest Concert Globe.

Cozy geodesic dome with seating, drinks, and candles, surrounded by a wooded outdoor view.
Photo by Ironside Photography / Stephen Ironside.

Sponsored by Avad3 and General Mills. Presented on the Coca-Cola Stage.