LAKE OF THE OZARKS, MO – Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks is at its most lively during the summer months, with hundreds of live music performances taking place on the weekends around the “Best Recreational Lake in the Nation.” Nationally celebrated headliners and promising regional and local up-and-comers bring their musical prowess to venues big and small, making the Lake of the Ozarks the place to be for music lovers this summer.
“Live music is an integral part of living the ‘Lake life,'” says Lagina Fitzpatrick, executive director for the Lake of the Ozarks Tri-County Lodging Association. “On just about any given day during the summer months, you’ll have no trouble finding live music at nearly any of the Lake of the Ozarks’ many restaurants as well as our different resorts and entertainment complexes.”
The Lake’s largest venue, Ozarks Amphitheater, is an impressive, open-air venue located in Camdenton that seats over 10,000 spectators. Ozarks Amphitheater has a well-earned reputation for bringing in some of the biggest names in music and that tradition continues this summer.
The summer concert series at Ozarks Amphitheater kicks off in May with Breaking Benjamin on May 7; Classic rockers REO Speedwagon, Styx, and George Thorogood and The Destroyers on May 11; Alt-rock pioneers The Smashing Pumpkins on May 18; Country stalwarts Tracy Lawrence and Clay Walker on May 27. Modern Outlaw Country heavyweights Cody Jinks, Lucas Nelson and The Promise of the Real, and Whitey Morgan close out the month with a performance on May 29.
The month of June begins with a long-awaited appearance by country music legend Willie Nelson on June 3 followed by singer-songwriter Jackson Browne on June 4 with the modern country sensational duo The Brothers Osborne on June 24.
Four-time Grammy winner Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit with special guest Charley Crockett get July off to a bang on July 1. The rest of July brings Marie Osmond with the Missouri Symphony on July 6; classic rockers Ozark Mountain Daredevils on July 9 and Kansas and .38 Special on July 15 and celebrated country band Little Big Town on July 29.
August concerts at the Ozarks Amphitheater include Outlaw Country flag-bearer Jamey Johnson on August 15 and the venerable blues-rockers The Black Crowes on August 20.
For more information on the Ozarks Amphitheater or to order tickets for the upcoming concert series, please visit OzarksAmphitheater.com.
Shawnee Bluff Vineyard, located off Highway 54 at 8 Tolwood Road between Eldon and Lake Ozark, features an outdoor wine garden and amphitheater set on 40 acres of rolling hills overlooking the winery’s vineyard. Each summer Shawnee Bluff hosts a fine selection of country music’s brightest stars. This summer, the Vineyard hosts Grammy-winning bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent and The Rage with special guests The Blackwoods on June 26.
Shawnee Bluff’s second location, Shawnee Bluff Winery, located on the Bagnell Dam Strip in Lake Ozark, features live music every weekend throughout the year. For more information on both locations – the Vineyard and the Winery – as well as a full events calendar, visit www.ShawneeBluff.com.
The major marquee venues aren’t the only way to enjoy an evening of great live music at the Lake. With over 200 restaurants and bars throughout the area, there is no shortage of options when it comes to choosing how one should spend their evening when visiting the Lake. Many of the Lake’s eateries and night spots feature live music on any given night during the summer season, and most weekends throughout the rest of the year, making it easy and delightful to catch a great band at a favorite spot. From rock and roll to jazz, country to bluegrass, music lovers can take their pick.
All the different restaurants and bars are too numerous to list, but there are several noteworthy venues with dedicated stages that regularly attract great groups and large crowds. H. Toads Bar & Grill at Camden on the Lake Resort, located in Lake Ozark, hosts live music four nights a week (Thursday through Sunday evenings). H. Toad’s summer concerts kick off on Friday, May 13 and include regional favorites such as Kalani, the Cherry Pistols, Dr. Zhivegas, Five Turn Know, Kricket Alley, Bad Habit and Dirt Road Addiction, to name but a few. For a complete calendar of upcoming events, please visit www.HToads.com.
Located right across the cove from H. Toad’s is Shady Gator’s Restaurant and Bar that hosts an “Epic Summer Concert Series” each year. Shady Gator’s hosts Colt Ford on June 3, Lanco on June 18 and Casey Donahew on July 22. For a complete calendar of musical performances, visit www.ShadyGators.com.
An annual summertime musical tradition is AquaPalooza, the Lake of the Ozarks’ one-day on-the-water music festival. AquaPalooza takes places on July 16 and is the Lake’s largest family-friendly summer concert event each year, combining many of the best things about the area, like on-the-water fun, live music, boating, swimming and great food and drinks. Now entering its 17th year, AquaPalooza moves to a new home at Captain Ron’s Bar and Grill in Sunrise Beach to better accommodate the thousands of spectators for a day of fun and musical entertainment. For more information on AquaPalooza, please visit www.FunLake.com/AquaPalooza.
To find more live music taking place around the Lake this summer, visitors should head to the event calendar at www.FunLake.com or check the websites or Facebook pages of their favorite restaurants, bars and other venues.
Music fans that want to come to the Lake of the Ozarks for any or all of the summer concerts taking place at the Lake of the Ozarks have a variety of options to choose from when it comes to comfortable accommodations for overnight stays. There are full-service large-scale resorts and smaller family-owned and operated resorts as well as charming bed and breakfasts, rustic cabins and quaint cottages. In addition, there is no shortage of fully furnished vacation rental homes and condominiums. There also is a selection of familiar hotels and motels at the Lake of the Ozarks. For those who prefer sleeping under the stars, there are spacious campgrounds and RV parks interspersed throughout the area.
Visitors also can learn more about all the fun events, attractions and activities, as well as lodging and dining options available all year at the “Best Recreational Lake in the Nation” at www.FunLake.com or by calling the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau at1-800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253).
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