The annual Friday Night Music Series kicked off June 12 at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center, where hundreds of residents and visitors packed the amphitheater to capacity to enjoy the first in a 10-week lineup of local and regional bands hosted by the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce.
The annual downtown tradition opened with San Francisco Bay Area-based “Mercy and the Heartbeats” headlining the first in this season’s series. This year’s lineup also includes returning local favorites “Soul Kiss” and “Carnaval,” along with new headliners including classic rock cover band “Misspent Youth” and opener “Chrome Deluxe,” bringing interpretations of classic R&B, swing and blues numbers.
“The purpose of Friday Night Music is really to bring the community together using music as that connective tissue,” said Chamber of Commerce President Nick Gaich. “Forget your troubles, forget your worries, come and enjoy the community for one night. For me, that’s really what it’s all about.”
The event is free to attend and open to the public, with funds raised primarily through the sale of beer and wine. The series serves as the primary fundraiser for the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce, funding programs and events including the annual Celebrate Morgan Hill awards, advocacy efforts and services for the chamber’s more than 500 member businesses.
“Most of the money we raise goes back into the event,” with the remaining revenue directed toward the chamber’s other services, said Kylie McLaughlin, the chamber’s Director of Media and Digital Marketing. “It’s our biggest moneymaker for sure, and it keeps us going throughout the year.”
More than 40 chamber businesses are participating, with a rotating list of more than 20 companies hosting tables at the event. Food trucks and popup kitchens served food and drink ranging from Korean barbeque to frozen lemonade and fresh beignets.
The music series runs every Friday 5:30–9:30pm, with a different headliner every weekend through Aug. 21 at the downtown amphitheater, 17000 Monterey Road. To see the full lineup of bands, visit morganhillchamber.org/friday-night-music-series.
