The summer season is unofficially here, as far as most people are concerned, following Memorial Day weekend.

The public swimming pools are open, warmer temperatures are (mostly) here, and a variety of seasonal activities and events are being announced, or already underway.

That includes some of our local summer concert series.

Weirton’s series of Friday night concerts was supposed to have kicked off last weekend with a performance by the Fantasy’s, but had to be postponed because of consistent rainfall that afternoon. So, the series launched this week instead with Lights Out Presents – The Jersey Beach Boys.

The series will include five more nights over the next two months for area residents wishing to check out some live music on their Friday nights. Those include Twice as Nice and The Rumors Band on June 5, Fleetwood 2 the Max on June 19, Matt VanFossen on June 26, My So Called 90s Band on July 24, and a Gospel Night on July 31.

The series, organized by the City of Weirton, is a little shorter this year, and also takes a few weeks off for the Independence Day holiday and some other local celebrations. The other big difference is the time change. While Weirton’s concerts traditionally have had musical acts taking the stage at 7 p.m., this year that’s been pushed back an hour with the concerts beginning at 8 p.m.

It will be interesting to see if there is any effect from the difference.

In the meantime, The Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau is bringing back its Second Saturdays event, offering an afternoon of live music, vendors and fun once each month.

Those events will begin June 13, featuring performances by 7 South and Beatlemania. Second Saturdays will continue on July 11 with Soulful Femme and House of Soul; Aug. 8 with New Age Adenas and Aristotle Jones: The Appalachian Soul Man; and Sept. 12 with The Trainjumpers and Suns of Beaches.

July 3, as part of local Independence Day festivities, will see the return of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra in Weirton.

All of those events will take place at the Weirton Event Center.

The Brooke County Area Chamber of Commerce has its Monthly Monday Music Madness return May 25 with a show by the Honky Tonk Sweethearts at Follansbee Park.

This concert series alternates its shows between Follansbee Park’s Gazebo and Wellsburg, next to the log cabin near the county courthouse.

The remainder of the series includes performances by On the Rocks on June 8 in Wellsburg; Twice as Nice on June 22 in Follansbee; the Bucket List on July 13 in Wellsburg; Chelsea Householder on July 27 in Follansbee; the Ron Retzer Trio on Aug. 10 in Wellsburg; and Hot Wired on Aug. 24 in Follansbee.

Across the river in Steubenville, the Fort Steuben Summer Concert Series also began its schedule this week with Ashley Marina and The New Pure Gold.

The series is held on Thursday nights through the end of July at the Berkman Amphitheater, with performances beginning at 7 p.m.

This year’s schedule includes George Kokos and the K Band and Eli and the Mojo Kings on June 4; Restless Hearts and Aristotle Jones and the Appalachian Soul Band June 11; tributes to Dean Martinb, Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra as well as the Vince Villanova Big Band on June 18; New Age Adenas and Out of Eden (A Tribute to the Eagles) on June 25; 1170 Jamboree Staff Band Reunion Sow featuring JoAnn Jones and Mark Statler on July 2; a special Independence Day performance, beginning at 6:30 p.m. and featuring the Brasset Hounds, Ron Retzer Trio, and the Fantasy’s on July 4; the West Liberty Steel Drum Band and Yacht Rocket on July 9; Buddy and Anthony Duo and Bayou Blue Band on July 16; Twice as Nice and U.S. Kids on July 23; and Megan Paulett and Aftermath on July 30.

Live entertainment is an important aspect of any community, when possible, and summer means live music in the Upper Ohio Valley. I wish each of the organizations putting these series together well this year, and encourage all residents to take time, whenever possible, to check out some of these local shows.

(Howell, a resident of Colliers, is part of the news staff of The Weirton Daily Times. He can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com or followed on Twitter/X @CHowellWDT)