Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Opens Sunset Thursdays Season

Free Summer Concert Series Returns to Festival Park with RaJazz and a Full Season of Weekly Performances

PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Portsmouth Parks and Recreation kicked off the 2026 Sunset Thursdays concert season Thursday night, June 4, with a strong opening crowd at Festival Park. The free waterfront series returned to Olde Towne Portsmouth with families, friends and music lovers filling the lawn for the first concert of the summer.

Opening night featured RaJazz, a Hampton Roads ensemble known for its energetic blend of blues, jazz and R&B. The nine-member Virginia band has performed across the region at major events including the Hampton Jazz Festival, Norfolk Town Point Jazz Festival and the American Music Festival, bringing a polished, crowd-friendly sound to Portsmouth’s waterfront stage.

Sunset Thursdays continues every Thursday from June 4 through August 27, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., at Festival Park, 16 Crawford Circle. The long-running summer series is free and open to the public and features local and regional performers across Motown, R&B, surf rock, blues, jazz, classic rock and funk. Guests are encouraged to bring a chair, enjoy the waterfront atmosphere and support on-site food vendors.

The 2026 lineup continues June 11 with Soul Intent, followed by TFC Band on June 18, BrassWind on June 25, SynHERgi on July 2, Blackwater Band on July 9, Revelation on July 16, The Original Rhondels on July 23, Hotcakes on July 30, Better By Tuesday on August 6, Island Boy on August 13, The Gentlemen & Their Lady on August 20 and Ned Harris and The Appeal on August 27.