Free outdoor community events like Arlington’s Music on the Square concert series, Lakeland’s LAMP events and Bartlett’s upcoming Movies in the Park are bringing residents together in growing numbers to enjoy area parks.

Arlington’s most recent Music on the Square event, held at the pavilion in the town’s Depot Square, took place Aug. 17, with a performance by Area 51. The band played 70s and 80s tunes from Bad Company, Styx, Yes, Boston, Journey, Rush and Supertramp, among others. 

The signature event for the town occurs on the third Saturday of each month from May to October. 

“Music on the Square has been a favorite Town event for many years,” Arlington Chamber Director Tonia Howell said. “This summer music series is a great time to bring neighbors together to enjoy good music and good food in Arlington's historic Depot Square area.”

Crowds range from 300 to 600 people, depending on weather. Arlington resident Cody Liles lives nearby and walks to the Square with his wife, Sara, and their two young children.

“This has been a very successful event, always with a good turnout and really family driven,” Liles said. “We normally come down with a big group of neighbors. All the kids get to play together. People who live nearby can even sit out on their porches and hear the music.”

As part of the ongoing redevelopment of the Depot Square area, a new outdoor amphitheater is planned to the west. The concert series will move there once it is completed.

“We’re excited about the move to the amphitheater at Forrest Street Park in the near future, as this will give families a better chance to spread out quilts and enjoy this music event,” Howell said. “Currently, much of the available space is on a parking lot, so definitely, the grass will add to the ambiance.”

The final two concerts of the year will be Jam Cracker Sept. 21 and the Graham Winchester Band Oct. 19.

Lakeland’s LAMP concert series started in 2015 after a stage for the amphitheater was built. The shows run from June to September each year at the 65-acre IH (International Harvester) Park.

“It’s pretty laid back. We basically wanted to have something where everyone in the community can come together," Kevin Rooney, the city's director of parks and recreation, said. "There’s no politics, just fun for people of all ages to come out and enjoy, hopefully, nice weather and some good music.” 

Last month, the Will Tucker Band drew one the largest crowds ever at a LAMP event.

“I’d say between 600 and 700 folks were there,” Rooney said. “Parking-wise, we have about 290 spots, and we were down to only four left before people started heading out.”

The concerts are supported this year by headline sponsor Sprouts Farmers Market and hosted by the Lakeland Parks and Recreation Department and Public Works Department.

Activities for children include inflatables, yard games, face-painting and Michael Tucker, aka Mr. Balloon Man, along with a variety of vendors and food trucks.

The next concert is Aug. 24, featuring Land/Divided at 6:30 p.m., and the final event will be Sept. 28 with a performance by Bluff City Bandits. Also next month, the Tennessee Shakespeare Company brings its free Shakespeare in the Park to IH Park Sept. 19.

“The intent for the amphitheater was always to start with the concerts and then move on to other opportunities for the residents to enjoy the park,” Rooney said.

Bartlett’s Movies in the Park series starts up next Aug. 30 for its sixth year with a showing of “The Greatest Showman.” The idea for the programming at Freeman Park originated with the city’s Economic Development Commission, which focuses on the nearby Bartlett Station area.

“The commission’s role is to highlight the area and try to bring businesses and people to support those businesses to the area,” said Glen Mullins, Bartlett Station Commission vice chair and chairman of the Movies in the Park subcommittee. 

Donna’s Kettle Corn and various food trucks offer snacks for those who don’t want to bring their own food.

Organizers are able to keep the series free by offering local sponsorships. This year’s presenting sponsor is the Bartlett Lion’s Club.

The movie usually draws a couple hundred attendees, and Mullins hopes to see that number grow based on the Movies in the Park Facebook page’s 7,000-plus followers. In years past, the series was held earlier in the year, during May, June and July, but rain was causing problems.

“We had a ton of movies that were rained out, so we decided to move it back to hopefully get better weather,” Mullins said.

Other movies coming this year include "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" Sept. 13; a Fan’s Choice (chosen from "Aquaman," "Captain Marvel" or "Shazam") Sept. 20 and "Hotel Transylvania 3" Oct. 4.