Pack your lawn chairs, polish your dancing shoes, and get those concert tickets for these upcoming must-see shows as June is set to be an exciting month in our local music scene. The Watermelon Wednesday and Coop Concert series are already in full swing, and mark your calendars for the Franklin County Pride celebration in Greenfield on Saturday, June 7. That same date, the 1794 Meetinghouse in New Salem will kick off its summer concert season for 2025.

Additionally, the summer stage series at Tree House Brewing Co. in South Deerfield will begin on Monday, June 2, with a show featuring Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and the Infamous Stringdusters. Tree House will host six more shows throughout June. The Shea Theater in Turners Falls will welcome the Johnny Cash tribute band Johnny Folsom 4 on Saturday, June 7, and Karla Bonoff will be there on Friday, June 27. And don’t forget, the Green River Festival is just around the corner, happening the weekend of June 20 to 22.

The music gets off to a roaring start this weekend when the free annual Montague World Music Mini-Festival takes place on Sunday, June 1, at Peskeompskut Park. Presented by Weathervane Arts, who have teamed up with RiverCulture, the focus of this event is to showcase culturally diverse music. They will welcome Myrtle Street Klezmer, John Hughes and Stephen Katz, and Juan Carlos Marin Band at the Peskeompskut Park bandshell beginning at 4 p.m. The El Sontano Taco Truck will also be on hand.

Before all the music, John Hughes of Brattleboro, Vermont, an internationally known percussionist, kora player, composer, and vocalist, will offer a workshop in West African drumming. The workshop will be held at the Brick House Community Center at 1 p.m. This workshop requires pre-registration and a suggested fee of $20, although no one will be turned away. All levels of drummers will be welcomed and no experience is needed. Register at weathervane-arts.org.

Once the music begins at 4 p.m., this family-friendly festival is free, and what a treat they have in store for listeners.

The Western Mass-based Myrtle Street Klezmer, led by clarinetist Jason Ditzian, have only been playing together since 2021, but they have made an impression on the local music scene by performing at venues like the Iron Horse Music Hall, Montague Common Hall and Arcadia Folk Festival. They perform the traditional celebratory music of Ashkenazi Jews, and this lively Eastern European dance music is the perfect way to set the tone for a world music celebration. In addition to playing classic and contemporary klezmer, the band’s repertoire also draws from Balkan, Greek, Arabic, rock, and jazz, and features lyrics in Yiddish, Hebrew, and Ladino.

A performance from the Myrtle Street Klezmer will more than just entertain, as they also educate their audience about the history and meaning of this music.

At 5 p.m., after teaching his drumming workshop, John Hughes will pick up his kora, an ancient instrument described as a 21-string lute. It’s fair to say that many in attendance will have never heard this instrument before, and exposing listeners to instruments from other cultures is a big part of this festival.

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For this performance, Hughes will join forces with cellist Stephen Katz, and they will create a fusion of African and European string traditions that will be unlike anything you have heard before.

Hughes is a newcomer to the festival.

“I’ve known of John Hughes and his music for quite a while. Our festival aims to present a wide variety of world music, and John’s West African-inspired kora music represents a different cultural perspective and background than any of our other performers,” said Jesse Olsen Bay, director of Weathervane Community Arts. “The intimate and peaceful music that he plays with cellist Stephen Katz will also provide a lovely counterpoint to the more energetic dance music of the other groups.”

The festival will wrap up at 6 p.m. with the Juan Carlos Marin Band, who performed at last year’s festival. The group plays Son Jarocho music, a form of traditional Mexican music that is native to Veracruz, Mexico. This is music that is known for its lively rhythms and distinct instrumentation. The instrument most commonly associated with this music is the jarana, which looks like a tiny guitar. If you have heard the 1955 Ritchie Valens song “La Bamba,” that is a good example of Son Jarocho music.

In the event of rain, the World Music Mini-Festival will be rescheduled.

In addition to hosting a mini music festival, RiverCulture and the downtown Turners Falls business community will also be host to a mini block party celebration on Third Street on Friday, June 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be plenty happening at this event, but I want to highlight the music lineup, which is fantastic.

The first band to take the Third Street Stage at 5:45 p.m. is the Rocking Puppies, featuring guitarist Michael Crigler and his 10-year-old daughter, vocalist Pema Crigler. They rock hard, and Pema pours her heart and soul into songs covering such topics as varied as dinosaurs and brushing her teeth.

Next up at 6:30 p.m. is MichiWiancko, the founder of the Antenna Farm in Gill. Wiancko is also a talented musician who plays the electro-acoustic violin, using loops and pedals to create captivating sounds.

The musical lineup on the Third Street stage will close with the melancholy pop of Cloudbelly, led by Corey Laitman. The band is currently working on new material, so we may hear some fresh tunes. They have very few performances scheduled this summer, so be sure to catch them when you can.

It’s also important to mention that Cloudbelly is a finalist in the Massachusetts Tiny Desk Concert sponsored by WBUR, Boston’s NPR station. Out of 238 musicians who entered the competition, the radio station has narrowed it down to 17, and Cloudbelly made the cut. You can visit the main page of WBUR.com to find out how to vote – but be quick as voting ends on June 5.

The Pionner Valley Brewery, located at 151 Third St. in Turners Falls, will close its doors for good on Saturday, May 31, but not before going out with a big bash. Music will be provided by the TSB Band and Jimmy Just Quit. The party begins at 6 p.m.

The Shelburne Falls Porch Music Festival will return for its fifth year on Sunday, July 13. For musicians hoping to perform, the artist sign-up deadline is Wednesday, June 5. You can sign up to perform or to be a volunteer at shelburnefallsporchfestival.com

The band Soular Eclipse will play at the Bernardston Senior Center on Saturday, May 31, from 12 to 1 p.m. as part of their open house day celebrations. This group of western Mass-based musicians cover material under the rhythm and blues umbrella ranging from the Motown sounds of the ‘60s to the pop rock sounds of the ‘90s.

Sheryl Hunter is a freelance writer who resides in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national publications. She can be reached at soundslocal@yahoo.com.