Music for Montauk will kick off its summer series of outdoor concerts Thursday with “Brahms Gypsy Dances,” passionate quartet songs, accompanied by piano and strings, under a tent at Third House at Montauk County Park.
On Aug. 17 the selection will be Bach’s most festive Cantata No. 51, featuring strings, trumpet, keyboard, and vocals, with the operatic star Rachelle Durkin and trumpeter C.J. Camerieri. Both concerts, at 6:30 p.m., are free and family friendly. Concertgoers are encouraged to take picnics, chairs, and blankets.
The Montauk Music Festival Rocks the Lighthouse, the second annual benefit concert to support the Montauk Historical Society’s stewardship of the light, will be held at the Lighthouse on Wednesday from 5 to 10 p.m., with a rain date of Thursday. Last year, Paul Simon stole the show with an unscheduled set in the natural amphitheater beneath the Light, and those who remember that performance are likely wondering if a surprise guest is in the wings this year, too.
The posted lineup this year includes Tuatha Dea, Kate Usher and the Sturdy Souls, Oogee Wawa, and the Montauk Project. There will be food trucks and beer and wine will be available for purchase. Tickets cost $40 for adults and $15 for children 5 to 12. They can be purchased online at montauklighthouse.com, montaukmusicfestival.com, or at the gate.