It was an incredible year at Levitt venues! These sites, which are state-of-the-art, outdoor music pavilions each presenting 40-50 free outdoor concerts per year, continue to have significant impact in their cities and regions—spurring economic growth, inspiring community engagement, amplifying local pride, and creating memorable nights of music and family fun.

As ever, community partnerships are an essential element of realizing their mission of building community through music. In addition to collaborating with local groups to shape programming reflective of the community, this past year saw partnerships that had impact beyond the venue, including Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks hosting a blood drive and concert leading to over 160 blood donations and Levitt Pavilion Arlington presenting a festival benefitting local food banks.

As their reach and impact continue to evolve, several Levitt venues have launched capital projects to further elevate the Levitt experience, with enhancements including new sound and lighting systems to concession stands to viewing platforms and beyond.

Read on to learn more about this exciting momentum at Levitt venues across the country!

LEVITT PAVILION DAYTON

Dayton has long been known as a city of innovators and dreamers, with the airplane and self-starting engine born in this Ohio city. This spirit of innovation, creativity and possibility has made it the perfect home for Levitt Pavilion Dayton, which opened in 2018 and presents dozens of free, outdoor concerts each summer.

In fact, Levitt Dayton, located in Dave Hall Plaza, has played a large part in reenergizing the area. “As vacancy rates decline with more developers engaging in the redevelopment of housing and first-floor activations, we have been instrumental in the economic impact to our urban core,” says Lisa Wagner, Executive Director of Levitt Pavilion Dayton. “By bringing over 400,000 people downtown since opening, we have contributed over $8.2 million in economic impact to our small businesses and independent operators surrounding the venue,” she says, citing statistics from a study conducted by the University of Dayton.

  • Born and raised on the Yankton Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, frontman Mato Nanji has dedicated his life and music to honoring Native heritage. The band headlined Levitt Dayton’s World Indigenous Day celebration. Photo courtesy of Levitt Pavilion Dayton.

Dayton has been in the midst of an economic renewal, and much effort has been put into revitalizing the urban core of the city. Since the live music series began, it has generated approximately $52 million of overall economic activity in the urban center, according to the study. Wagner considers the diverse programming a big part of the draw, and the free concerts offer an excellent alternative to ticketed shows at local venues. “We saw increased attendance at our festivals that showcased jazz, gospel, blues, funk, and reggae,” says Wagner. “Our second year of celebrating our Native American community during World Indigenous Day grew in attendance and deepened in partnership, as we celebrated local performers, artists, and poets from the Native American community before the concert began.”

This year’s events saw an 87% increase in concession revenue due in large part to capital investment in the new Levitt Dayton concession stand. Local artist Amy Deal helped design the look of the stand, which is made from recycled shipping containers, by creating a colorfully painted mural for added visibility and appeal. Technology upgrades, including a new sound system and video wall, are underway for the 2026 season.

LEVITT SHELL SIOUX FALLS

As South Dakota’s biggest city and one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S., Sioux Falls boasts a thriving arts and culture scene that features the world’s largest annual exhibit of public sculptures, poetry and literary events, an annual JazzFest, and numerous popular theaters. Despite its rapid growth, Sioux Falls is a relatively small and engaged community with a population of just over 200,000.

Since 2019, Levitt Shell Sioux Falls, known locally as “Levitt at the Falls,” has been bringing 50 free concerts to Falls Park West every summer. “We’re the smallest community as far as population within the group of Levitt Pavilions,” says Nancy Halverson, President and CEO of Levitt at the Falls. “That makes us a bit different. It allows us to really engage with our community. In a larger town there aren’t as many opportunities to get involved. Here it’s easier to stand out with less competition.”

  • Johnny Wheels and the Swamp Donkeys performing at ADA Festival in July. PHoto courtesy of Levitt Shell Sioux Falls. 

What’s more, Levitt at the Falls has successfully raised funds for a $5 million venue expansion project, called Sweetman Atrium. “We’re adding about 7,000 square feet to our venue,” explains Halverson. “It will add a green room, indoor performance space, storage space, and offices for our staff.” Halverson says that much of the project is on track to be completed for the community to enjoy in time for the 2026 summer concert season.

Meanwhile, Levitt at the Falls hosted a robust schedule of cultural events and festivals in 2025, including the ADA Festival in July. This gathering celebrated 35 years of the Americans with Disabilities Act and was headlined by Johnny Wheels and the Swamp Donkeys. “Johnny is an incredible blues harmonica player,” shares Halverson of the group’s frontman, who had an accident as a teenager that left him paralyzed from the chest down. “Hi performance was so special because he was representing the community we were celebrating that day. The rapport he built with the audience was just magical. He ended up staying on the lawn an extra four hours just connecting and feeling seen and appreciated and valued. It was a beautiful night.”

Levitt at the Falls also hosted three Levitt Jam Camps in partnership with Augustana University, during which students engaged in week-long creativity and music-making summer day-camps with music industry professionals—including national touring hip-hop band the Flobots, who also headlined the Levitt Sioux Falls stage in June.

LEVITT PAVILION STEELSTACKS

Formerly the location of Bethlehem Steel—once the world’s second-largest steel manufacturer—the sprawling 10-acre SteelStacks Arts and Cultural Campus in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, honors its industrial roots while serving as a thriving arts and entertainment destination for the region.

Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks, which just completed its 15th season, anchors the ArtsQuest complex, bringing free, live music to the community. This year’s concert series included a unique opportunity for high school students interested in the performing arts and the technical side of live production to gain hands-on experience working directly with music industry professionals.

  • The lawn buzzes with energy and excitement as audience members clap to the beats of the music. Photo courtesy of Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks. 

“Taking place on the Levitt SteelStacks Stage, the Next Gen Live event featured student performances from schools and community organizations across the Lehigh Valley,” says Shayna Super, Executive Director of Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks. “Students also had the opportunity to shadow the production team for hands-on experience in everything from equipment setup to running sound and lights in a real concert setting.”

The 2025 season also included “Rock n Roll Up Your Sleeve,” a special concert featuring the Craig Thatcher Band. “There was an on-site blood drive leading up to the concert and those who signed up to donate blood received a commemorative concert t-shirt,” shares Super of the event, which resulted in an impressive 164 blood donations.

Other highlights of this season included three successful festivals—¡Sabor! Latin Festival, One Earth ReggaeFest, and Blast Furnace Blues.

Several capital improvements also got underway, including upgrades to Levitt SteelStacks’ production equipment. “Recently, we finished a multi-phased capital improvement project to update our lighting system to LED lights as well as adding moving lights to our truss, which results in a lighting show to match the energy and excitement the audience feels on the lawn,” says Super.

LEVITT PAVILION ARLINGTON

Arlington, Texas is home to famed sports teams the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers and popular theme park Six Flags Over Texas. It’s nicknamed “The American Dream City” for its reputation of affording opportunities to all who call it home, regardless of background.

Since 2008, Levitt Pavilion Arlington has presented hundreds of free, outdoor concerts. The events have been so impactful that Levitt Arlington was recently awarded a $1.6 million grant from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation to fund equipment upgrades, expansions and replacements. These capital improvements will enhance audio and video quality, and provide an enhanced experience for concertgoers.

  • Levitt Arlington’s Juneteenth celebration featured live music, local artisans and food vendors, and free, family-friendly fun! Photo courtesy of Levitt Pavilion Arlington.

Levitt Arlington has also created meaningful partnerships with numerous local nonprofits and community groups. “We worked with over 50 organizations this past year,” says Letatia Teykl, Executive Director for Levitt Pavilion Arlington. “We have a community approach to supporting our city. This year we put buskers on the streets in downtown Arlington. We funded contracts for artists to play as part of Arlington Amplified at First Thursdays.”

The event series has also grown to include the annual Do Good Fest, now having completed its fourth year. This year featured a lively ’90s-inspired lineup including Collective Soul, Tonic, Fastball, and Zachary Lohman, which helped raise more than $100,000 to support the Tarrant Area Food Bank’s Ready to Learn Program, which provides healthy food options for local students.

The 2025 lineup also included several special cultural events. “We’ve continued with the growth of our cultural events: Asian Heritage, Hispanic Heritage, and Juneteenth,” says Teykl, all of which celebrated their fourth year at Levitt Arlington. “For us, it’s exciting when our events and activities go along with the diversity in our community. On the lawn there’s a place for everyone to be a part of the community and to learn and grow from each other.”

LEVITT PAVILION DENVER

Located one mile above sea level, Denver—otherwise known as “the Mile High City”—is home to a vibrant collection of music scenes including jazz, folk, metal, and classical. Since 2017,  Levitt Pavilion Denver has showcased this sonic tapestry, and the venue just finished another exciting season of free, live music performances on stage at Ruby Hill Park.

In addition to stellar musical acts of a range of genres and high-caliber talent, including GRAMMY-nominated Robert Randolph, this year’s lineup also featured several special partnerships. Youth from Girls Rock Denver’s summer camp opened for singer-songwriter Esme Patterson on the Levitt stage, performing original songs created during their time at camp. “On the day before the concert, Esme visited with the campers to share lunch and offer her insights into songwriting, performance, and creative expression, which was very meaningful,” says Meghan McNamara, Executive Director of Levitt Pavilion Denver.

  • Get your hands in the air—it’s concert time at Levitt Denver! Photo courtesy of Levitt Pavilion Denver.

McNamara also explains that Levitt built upon multi-year partnerships—including a music education fair headlined by Flobots, a collaboration with the University of Denver, and cultural festivals including Brazil Day, Japan Fest, All My Relations Celebration, Rez Metal, and Viva Southwest Mariachi Fest.

Levitt Pavilion Denver has also completed significant capital improvements to further elevate the experience for concert attendees. “The capital improvements project, supported by Denver Parks and Rec, the Levitt Foundation, grants, and individual contributions through the Levitt Future Fund, focused on making Levitt more accessible, sustainable and beautiful as the venue nears a decade in operation,” says McNamara. The improvements included a new concrete pathway for better accessibility, synthetic turf in the lower bowl, two viewing patios for sponsor hospitality and community activations, and a new shelter for the front-of-house sound system to protect it from weather elements.

As the venue nears its 10th anniversary, Levitt Pavilion Denver has become a valued part of the city’s music ecosystem. “Some community members noted that economic circumstances made accessing live music more challenging for them in the last year. Levitt’s value and impact were demonstrated in our significant growth in per-show attendance and on-site donations this year,” says McNamara. “Leading up to and throughout the 2025 season, our audiences, partners, and performing artists expressed gratitude for Levitt as a space for joy and connection.”

LEVITT PAVILION SAN JOSE

Known as “the Capital of Silicon Valley,” this bustling Northern California city lies approximately 50 miles south of San Francisco and is home to tech giants including Adobe, eBay, and Zoom. Despite being a major hub of innovation, San Jose has been lacking in music venues to serve its nearly one million residents. Now, thanks in large part to the Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose, there will be a permanent Levitt Pavilion venue for the entire community to enjoy in the heart of the city.

In August of 2025, an agreement was signed between the City of San Jose, Levitt Foundation, and Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose to build and operate a permanent Levitt venue in the city’s St. James Park located downtown.

  • In August, Levitt Foundation President & CEO Sharon Yazowski visited Levitt San Jose to congratulate the Board and team on their significant milestone achievements—and to share in the excitement for all that’s to come to this Bay Area community! Photo courtesy of Levitt Pavilion San Jose.

With San Francisco as the closest entertainment hub, the new Levitt venue in San Jose will give residents quality live music options much closer to home. “San Jose is primed for a thriving live music venue,” says Suzanne St. John-Crane, Director of Strategy for Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose. “Levitt San Jose will be the crown jewel of a seven-acre park, right in the middle of downtown. The park is essentially a blank slate right now, underutilized and ready for transformative activation.” In a city that boasts 320 sunny days per year, she projects it may bring an economic infusion of as much as $14 million annually to the city.

Over $15 million has already been allocated for this project and a capital campaign to raise the remaining funds is underway. “Our goal is to host the Summer 2028 season on the new stage,” says St. John-Crane, who shares that venue plans also include a concessions bar, a green room, and administrative offices, and a sleek, angled roof.

Even before the Levitt Pavilion comes to life, local Levitt San Jose organizers have staged dozens of free concerts in St. James Park over the last four summers. St. John-Crane reflects how these Levitt performances have already brought people together to create a shared sense of community. “On a warm summer Sunday, a Levitt concert turns into something magical: a spontaneous conga line that weaves through the crowd, linking people of every age, culture, and background,” she says. “Strangers become dance partners, laughing as they move together in rhythm. It’s a joyful snapshot of what Levitt is all about—breaking down barriers through the universal language of music.”