Summer concert series returns to Delray Beach Friday night with Kenny Chesney tribute band
DELRAY BEACH — After Summer at the Square's success last year, the free sunset concert series is back. It'll kick off this Friday at Old School Square, with a tribute to country star Kenny Chesney.
Delray's Summer at the Square series launched last year, after the Downtown Development Authority took over the operation of all Old School Square's events, programs and exhibitions in the spring.
The inaugural concert Friday, May 24, will feature Fast Forward, The Ultimate Kenny Chesney Tribute, plus a line dancing lesson for those who arrive early. It'll be followed by four other concerts, held on the fourth Friday of the month, from May through September.
The Ultimate Kenny Chesney Tribute: What to expect
Derek "Cowboy Kenny" Villegas started his first band nearly 25 years ago. During years as a lead vocalist playing honky-tonks and and dance halls throughout Texas, Villegas often was compared to Chesney, both because of his looks and sound. Villegas eventually moved to Florida and started performing with Fast Forward as "Kenny Chesney." The result is "Fast Forward, The Ultimate Kenny Chesney Tribute," a high-energy, Chesney-style concert that includes the country star's biggest hits.
Gates to the concert will open at 5:30 p.m. From 6:15 to 7 p.m., country recording artist and songwriter Gabriel Key will teach line dancing, followed by the opening act from 7 to 8 p.m. Villegas will go on at 8 p.m.
Entrance is free, but VIP tickets, for $50, grant access to a lounge area with seating, a bar and a drink voucher. They can be purchased online. Local restaurant vendors, too, will be featured onsite.
What else will 'Summer at the Square' bring to Delray Beach?
The sunset concert series will feature artists from various genres — country, rock n' roll and reggae, to name a few.
On June 28, the summer series will bring The Shaelyn Band to Old School Square. It's a soul and rock blues band based in Florida, fronted by Shaelyn "Shae" Mulberry.
On July 26, Mural Fest Reggae Celebration will take Old School Square for the third installment in the series. The event will feature various local and regional reggae bands, in celebration of the second annual Delray Walls Mural Fest.
Artists for the final two summer series events have not yet been posted, but they'll be held on Aug. 23 and Sept. 27.
More upcoming events at Old School Square this summer:
Other events to look out for at Old School Square as summer approaches include Wellness Wednesdays, which are $5 yoga classes held from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. every Wednesday from now through Sept. 25, Coco Market, a monthly event featuring free yoga classes, meditation courses and local vendors, and First Friday Art Walks, tours of the Cornell Art Museum held on the first Friday of every month.
Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@pbpost.com and follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @jasminefernandz. Help support our work. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Free summer concert series kicks off with Chesney tribute band May 24
