Fishers Summer Concert Series Returns to the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater With New Features & Amenities
Photography provided City of Fishers & Brian Brosmer
If you’ve passed by the Nickel Plate District Amphitheater this summer on a Tuesday or Friday evening, chances are you’ve heard The Fishers Summer Concert Series.
The Concert Series is hosted by Fishers Parks & Recreation. It offers free concerts three days a week — Tuesday and Friday evenings, which are presented by IU Health Saxony, and Wednesday during lunchtime, presented by Meyer Najem. Most shows feature local performers and artists.
Changes this season include new showtimes, a refreshed venue and both local and national performing acts.
“We’re so excited that the construction on the amphitheater is done. We have this new and renovated space with a deeper stage, so we can have some bigger acts,” says Sarah Sandquist, Fishers Director of Parks & Recreation. “At some point in the future we look to have maybe a comedy show or Shakespeare in the Park kind of activities or musical theater.”
Other new amenities include a sensory-friendly area, which is located within the Pavilion building, and kids’ activities in the grass in front of the Pavilion building as well.
“It’s an area of activation for children with sensory issues, as well as a respite area,” Sandquist adds. “So, if it’s too loud in the concert area, if they need to come into the Pavilion for a calm down area, that’s a spot for them.”
Kids activities will be on a rotating schedule and will be available every Tuesday night, as well as most Friday nights. It will be close enough so parents can still have a view of their children playing in the grass.
All performances from The Fishers Concert Series are free, with the exception of two dates. All shows start at 8 p.m. and gates open at 6 p.m. Food and beverage vendors will be available on-site at both shows. Outside food and drink is allowed and encouraged. However, no outside food or beverages will be permitted at the two ticketed shows.
“All the businesses in the Nickel Plate District are open for business. We encourage people to grab to-go options from there and bring it to the show,” Sandquist says.
The first ticketed show is Friday, August 9. The amphitheater will welcome Jade Bird and Ruston Kelly in partnership with 92.3 WTTS. Jade Bird is a new and exciting British voice in the alternative music world. Ruston Kelly is a Nashville-based artist who will debut his first full-length album later this year. Tickets for this show are available now for $9.23 at npdamp.com/Tickets.
“There’s tons of families — everyone is coming to just chill out and enjoy good music,” Sandquist says. “Just sitting on the lawn on a summer night, it’s kind of your perfect evening and to have that opportunity to do that every Tuesday and Friday is really fun.”
The second ticketed show, and final performance of the season at Nickel Plate District Amphitheater, will be Friday, September 20, featuring Grammy award-winning artist, Van Hunt, whose music style is R&B soul, funk, pop, and rock ‘n’ roll. His nearly 15-year music career has earned him opportunities to headline alongside Kanye West, Coldplay, Dave Matthews Band and more. Tickets for this show are $10.
“You can bring your lawn chair,” Sandquist says. “You can bring in food. We also have food and beverage vendors on-site — it rotates nightly. 5280 Bistro and MashCraft are there every Tuesday, and Four Day Ray will be there for the ticketed shows. They rotate and there is some consistency. We don’t necessarily advertise who or put that out on social because it changes so frequently.”
For Tuesday night performances, Sandquist says there will always be about 2-3 vendors. On Friday nights, there will typically be 3-4 vendors at the amphitheater.
Additionally, the Fishers Summer Concert Series will host its fifth annual Blues Fest on August 30 and August 31. The free, two-day event will feature performances from renowned blues artists like B.B. King Blues Band featuring Michael Lee, John Ford, The Blues Ambassadors and more.
“We’re excited about the season and we’re about a quarter of the way in,” Sandquist says. “There is still plenty of time to come see some great music and round out the second half of the summer with concerts at the amp.”
A full list of performances is available online on the Nickel Plate Amphitheater website at npdamp.com. All performances are at the amphitheater, located at 6 Municipal Dr. All performances are free, with the exception of the two ticketed events on August 9 and September 20. All shows start at 8 p.m. and gates open at 6 p.m.
