Cloverdale Arts Alliance sets 2026 Friday Night Live lineup

By AI, Created 9:15 PM UTC, May 21, 2026, /AGP/ – The Cloverdale Arts Alliance will launch the 24th season of Friday Night Live at the Plaza on May 22, with free concerts running Friday nights through Sept. 4 in downtown Cloverdale. The series pairs live music with a street fair, food, drinks, vendors and kids’ activities, with proceeds from beverage sales supporting the event.

Why it matters: - Friday Night Live is one of Cloverdale’s signature summer gatherings and a recurring draw for downtown foot traffic. - The free series combines live music, local food and retail vendors, and family activities in a single public event. - Beverage sales and sponsorships help fund the Cloverdale Arts Alliance’s programming.

What happened: - The Cloverdale Arts Alliance announced the 24th season of Friday Night Live at the Plaza. - The season starts Friday, May 22, 2026, in Downtown Cloverdale Plaza. - The series runs Friday nights through Sept. 4, 2026. - The Street Fair opens at 6 p.m. and live music runs from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The details: - The 2026 opening night features Hot Buttered Rum, described as progressive bluegrass. - The May 30 show features Eric Lindell & The Westside Summer League, billed as West County rock and swamp blues. - June 5 brings Dustin Saylor & The Stowaways, billed as Cloverdale country. - June 12 features Arpeños de Emmanuel Ortega, performing norteño. - June 19 features Earl Thomas, a legendary blues singer-songwriter. - June 26 features Tommy Castro & the Painkillers, billed as an award-winning blues and rock act. - There is no Friday Night Live event on July 3 because of the Fourth of July holiday. - The remaining lineup includes Spike Sikes & His Awesome Hotcakes on July 10, The David Luning Band on July 17, Honey Island Swamp Band on July 24, Claire Wright on July 31, Family Company on Aug. 7, Magnolia Boulevard on Aug. 14, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears on Aug. 21, SunSquabi on Aug. 28 and The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band on Sept. 4. - Friday Night Live offers meals-to-go, sweet treats, Sonoma County wines, craft beers, locally made art, jewelry, clothing, wellness products and kids’ activities. - Attendees are asked to bring their own lawn chairs because seating is limited and no chairs are provided. - Craft beer, local wines and non-alcoholic beverages are sold by the glass, and proceeds support Friday Night Live. - Outside alcoholic beverages are not allowed under California Alcoholic Beverage Control rules. - Dogs are not allowed inside the street fair area, but well-behaved dogs are allowed in the Plaza. - The event is produced by the Cloverdale Arts Alliance. - The series has support from the City of Cloverdale as Diamond Sponsor. - Platinum sponsors include Calpine at the Geysers, Furber Family, Dan Henkle & Steve Kawa, Janisch Family Reunion, Law Office of Peter F. McAweeney, David McChesney, Redmetal Barn, Reuser, Inc. and Erik Terreri & Robert Driggs. - Sonoma Clean Power is the Presenting Sponsor. - Major sponsors include Dahlia & Sage Community Market, Geoff & Nancy Dalwin, Eagle Distributing, Barbara McGuinness & John Mingo, Redwood Credit Union, Redwood Empire Sawmill, Rotary Club of Cloverdale, Sawmill Saloon and Bob Scott & Tim McDonald. - Cloverdale Connect is the media sponsor. - More information is available on the Cloverdale Arts Alliance website.

Between the lines: - The lineup mixes returning regional acts, blues, Americana, reggae and electronic funk, signaling an effort to keep the series broad enough for different audiences over the full summer. - The sponsor list shows heavy local business and community support, which appears central to keeping admission free. - The Street Fair format suggests the event is designed to drive both cultural activity and downtown commerce.

What’s next: - Friday Night Live will continue every Friday night through Sept. 4 unless the holiday week creates the planned July 3 break. - Attendees can expect the same street-fair format, vendor mix and beverage sales model throughout the season. - The Cloverdale Arts Alliance can be reached through its executive director, Dan Richert, at dan@cloverdaleartsalliance.org.