DOWAGIAC — Music enthusiasts will have a chance to enjoy music all summer long with the summer concert series returning to downtown Dowagiac this month.

The summer concert series is coming to Dowagiac on June 6 as the Southwestern Michigan College Brass Band takes the stage. The concerts will be at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday at the James E Snow Building at Main and Front streets in Dowagiac.

The 10-week fine arts series, hosted by the Dowagiac Downtown Development Authority, will be celebrating its second year on the grounds of the James E. Snow building. The bricked parkway allows ample room for audience members to bring lawn chairs and blankets to set up to enjoy the music, said Vickie Phillipson, Chamber of Commerce and DDA program director, who oversees the concert series.

“Five corporate sponsors, which are active in both the community and Chamber of Commerce, have joined hands in underwriting the fine arts series,” Phillipson said. “They are Cass County Council on Aging, Four Winds Casino, Honor Credit Union, Lyons industries and Southwestern Michigan council.”

Friends and family can enjoy vocal and instrumental performances of jazz, bluegrass, the big band sound, ethnic music, R&B, classic sock, folk and country. The tradition of music fare has been around in Dowagiac since the late 1800s by the Round Oak Band, said those involved with the series.

“One of the biggest reasons why we enjoy performing for the concert series is because it gives us a chance to show off to our hometown audience, and that’s what we love to do,” said founder and leader of the Rebel Pride Band Dave Bolin, who has always been a Dowagiac resident for 40 years. “It gives the residents of the community an exciting show, and it doesn’t cost a dime. They bring their lawn chair and lay their blankets on the ground and they are all just bubbling with anticipation.”

In addition to the Brass Band from Southwestern Michigan College and the Rebel Pride Band, also performing this season will be:

• Allie Garland and Awesome Sauce — June 13

• Schlitz Creek — June 20

• Chameleon — June 27

• Out of Favor Boys — July 11

• Shelagh Brown Band — July 18

• Rebel Pride — July 25

• The Sekeltones — August 1

• Van Dyke Review — August 8

• A Touch of Country — August 15

“The series brings a lot of togetherness to the community. It’s something for the community to get together and enjoy live music,” said Allie Garland, who performs at the concert series. “I love to play all genres of music and I think what’s special about me is that I play multiple instruments and different genres.”

For more information on the concert series, email Vickie Phillipson at vphillipson@dowagiac.org.