How Bands on the Bricks became a 30-year Boulder tradition

Hundreds of residents gather along Pearl Street on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer, filling the mall’s red bricks with music, dancing, and conversation as local bands perform on stage. Families spread out on lawn chairs, children dance near the performers and crowds spill into the sidewalks outside downtown businesses. 

“The people dancing and music make this place an overall 10 out of 10,” said Emily Carp, a full-time student at the University of Colorado Boulder. “I definitely plan to be out here the rest of summer, and I hope to be here in future years as well.”

This summer marks the 30th anniversary of Bands on the Bricks, Downtown Boulder’s weekly outdoor concert series. For Stephen Oskay, events and operations manager for Downtown Boulder, the event’s longevity comes down to something simple: community. 

“I think that the staying power of this event is that, especially in downtown Boulder, there are so many things to do,” Oskay said. “It’s important to have a third space for consistent fun … a place where people can go and enjoy something without necessarily having to pay for it.” 

Held every Wednesday from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. throughout the summer, Bands on the Bricks transforms Pearl Street Mall into an outdoor gathering space filled with conversation, dancing and live music. The free concert series is held in front of the Boulder County Courthouse. This season’s remaining concerts run until July 29, with performances scheduled every Wednesday evening and a rain date set for August 6. 

“I work downtown,” said Avery Riffle, a Boulder resident. “I come here after work because I love the music, and I can get a beer for a great deal.”

Riffle said the event’s drink specials help make Bands on the Bricks an affordable outing. Calling herself “a bargain shopper,” she said the discounts provide another incentive for community members to attend. 

This year’s lineup reflects the effort to feature a mix of local and regional performers while also incorporating younger acts. Oskay pointed to CU Boulder-affiliated bands and emerging artists as examples of how the event continues to connect different generations while maintaining the tradition that residents expect from Boulder summers.

“Since I took over, I’ve really been trying to get a wide range of acts and appeal to everyone who lives in town,” Oskay said, who has managed the event after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

His goal is to create a lineup that brings together families, younger residents and longtime attendees, reinforcing the event’s role as a free place for entertainment and community connection. Oskay said attendance has increased over the past several years as organizers look for ways to keep the event relevant without losing what longtime attendees love about it.

“I would say the last three years, we’ve had a steady uptake year after year in people showing up,” Oskay said. “We’re always looking for ways to evolve and iterate.”

Bands on the Bricks exposes bands to new audiences and gives them the opportunity to perform on one of Boulder’s most recognizable summer stages. Blue Velvet Daydream, a Colorado-based band that performed on June 18, said they grew up attending Pearl Street events and were familiar with the concert series before they performed.

“We’ve always known about Bands on the Bricks,” said guitarist and vocalist Ryder King. “We’ve always come down here and set up our gear on the sidewalk, and we’ve always talked about playing this for years. It’s special that we’re finally doing it.” 

“It’s been around for so long, this event feels like a staple,” added Jude Pfanstiel, the bass player. “Playing tonight will check off an event we’ve always wanted to play on our bucket list.”

For the band, performing at the event represented more than another stop on a tour schedule. It was an opportunity to play for the community that helped shape them as musicians.

“Seeing a lot of friends and family will be nice,” King said. “Recently, we have played a lot of out-of-state gigs lately, so having something familiar, like here, is really special.”

Caitlin Enfield, an urban ranger with the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department, said she enjoys seeing the mix of people who gather downtown for the concerts.

“There’s a lot of families, which I like seeing,” Enfield said. “It’s always fun to see all different ages coming together for an event.” 

Oskay said that kind of cross-generational turnout has helped sustain the event for three decades.

“There are people that make this their weekly tradition,” he said. 

This event also supports the local businesses on Pearl Street. Oskay said restaurants and shops often see increased traffic during concert nights, helping create a mutually beneficial relationship between the concert series and downtown commerce. 

“Pizza Colore has always been a big supporter of us in our program,” Oskay said. “They help us with feeding out volunteers.”

As Bands on the Bricks enters its next chapter, organizers are still exploring ways to improve the experience while preserving the tradition that residents have come to expect. The most rewarding part for Oskay is still seeing how the audience reacts to the music.

“The community always comes out in full force and supports this event,” Oskay said. “It’s a really good thing to see year after year.”