West Palm's weekly concert takes third place in nation for 'Best Outdoor Concert Series'

Though West Palm Beach's beloved GreenMarket was recently bumped to second place after a three-year run as the top farmers market in the country in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice poll, West Palm Beach has a new contender making a run at glory.

The USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Award has named Clematis by Night number three in the nation in the Best Outdoor Concert Series category. The poll results were released Wednesday, May 22.

Though bested by first place winner Hot Summer Nights in Vail, Colo. and runner up Somers Point Beach Concert Series in Somers Point, New Jersey, third place is still pretty impressive.

More: It's back! Where to find West Palm Beach's award-winning GreenMarket this summer.

Ok, so maybe there's no podium or medal involved, but there are bragging rights. Not that CBN really needs them. Residents and visitors alike have been rocking out along the waterfront at CBN since it all began on June 8, 1995. Since then locals know that it's the perfect way to blow off some mid-week steam or even just start the weekend a day early altogether.

We also know that in addition to great music and waterfront ambiance, there are plenty of great restaurants within walking distance for either before or after the music. In addition, there's a scaled down version of the GreenMarket called The Mini that is happening simultaneously and runs through June 27.

It all started nearly 30 years ago when mayor Nancy Graham approached then community events manager Mary Pinak about organizing a weekly outdoor event that would take place in front of what was then the public library.

Pinak said she was given some fairly simple instructions, it had to have live music and it had to be free.

Though now rated the third best Outdoor Concert Series in the nation, it started out pretty humble, especially the first night.

“We had one pizza vendor, one keg of beer, and a stage that looked like an 8-foot table," Pinak said. Despite that, Pinak said at least 300 people were in attendance.

In that time there have been hundreds of great bands and performances. Some of these include Smashmouth, Randy Houser, Brooke Eden, Casadee Pope, Mickey Dolenz, Sister Hazel, The Spinners, The Romantics, Clarence Clemmons, Natasha Beddingfield, Lifehouse, Vince Neil, The Little River Band, Starship, Menudo, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Radio City Rockettes, Mat Kearney, Teddy Geiger, Otis Day and the Knights, J.T. Hodges, Ryan Cabrera, Evan & Jaron and Cornbread.

This Thursday, May 23, will feature The Tim Charron Band.

Clematis by Night in downtown West Palm Beach

Where: 100 N. Clematis St., West Palm Beach

When: 6 to 9 p.m. Thursdays

Information:wpb.org/community-events/clematis-by-night

Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at eritz@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Palm's Clematis by Night voted USA Today's Best Outdoor Concert