Music Under the Stars: Dickinson College Farm to Launch Summer Concert Series
Photo by Joe O'Neill.
Come enjoy fun beats, good eats under the stars!
by MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson
What’s better than gathering with friends and neighbors for some great live music under the stars? How about enjoying all this plus a delectable farm-to-table meal—and in a way that’s friendly to the Earth? The countdown is on for the Dickinson College Farm’s inaugural summer music series! Grab some friends and a picnic blanket or chair and get ready to savor Dickinson’s famed wood-fired pizza and lively tunes by acclaimed regional artists.
The zero-waste, BYOB concerts run Friday evenings from May through August from 6 to 9 p.m.
Ticket-holders will be treated to an organic, picnic-style dinner (personal-sized wood-fired pizza, fresh, organic sides and sun tea), beginning at 6 p.m., and a live concert, beginning at 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Musical styles range from alt-folk to soul and funk to gothic Americana with New Orleans jazz influences and folk-country originals.
May 30: Rivers
“This folk slaps!” writes Rivers, an alt-folk trio that’s performing at festivals in several states this summer. Learn more through YouTube Music and the band’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
June 27: Yam Yam
Based in Harrisburg, Yam Yam delivers an energetic, soulful psychedelic sound drawing from jazz, gospel, jam and funk. Learn more at the Mint Talent Group website.
July 18: Leo DiSanto & Friends
Co-founder of the award-winning Vinegar Creek Constituency. Leo DiSanto is an imaginative storyteller whose 2025 solo album was listed on the Folk Alliance International Folk Radio chart and was featured on No Depression’s “Best of the Month” playlist.
Aug. 22: The Great Long Meadow Fire (TGLMF)
Founded by Brooklyn trombonist Dan Lehner, TGLMF blends gothic Americana, gospel blues, New Orleans jazz and swampy rock 'n' roll influences. Its debut EP interprets songs by Stevie Wonder, Neko Case, Skip James and more.
The summer music series is part of a broader College Farm effort to connect people with the natural beauty of the organic working farm and living laboratory, where sustainable agriculture meets innovative educational initiatives, special events and seriously good eats. It's funded, in part, through a 2024 Tourism Recovery Grant Award from the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation.
In keeping with the farm’s commitment to sustainability, all operations, including food preparation, the concerts and meal prep, are powered by supplemental forms of energy that are not reliant on the grid. The farm’s longtime composting practices will also be in effect. Thanks to the farm’s new biogas operations, compostable materials will be diverted from landfills.
The concerts will be held rain or shine (a historic barn on the property provides atmosphere and shelter in the case of rain). Guests are encouraged to conserve energy by carpooling to the farm at 553 Park Dr. Boiling Springs, Pa.
Tickets start at $32, and they must be reserved in advance.
"We’re excited to host opportunities for the public to enjoy the agricultural landscape of the Cumberland Valley,” says Jenn Halpin, director of the College Farm. “Connecting people to place is a cornerstone of our mission. We hope to see you there!”
TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
Published April 28, 2025