Todos Santos Plaza summer Thursdays have a familiar framework: the market opens, lawn chairs appear and live music carries the evening to 8 p.m. The better way to approach the 2026 season, though, is to choose your night with some intention.
This year’s calendar moves from Led Zeppelin and pop-punk tributes to Latin jazz, Motown, big band and Pink Floyd. Pair that variety with a market dinner, a table nearby or a post-concert stop, and each Thursday takes on a different character.
The local strategy is simple. Start with the performer, then build the rest of the evening around the music.
2026 season at a glance
- Location: Todos Santos Plaza in Downtown Concord
- Concert season: Thursdays through September 24
- Farmers’ market: 4 to 8 p.m.
- Live music: 6:30 to 8 p.m.
- Admission: Free
- Best practical arrival window: About 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. if you want time to shop and settle in
- Bring: A lawn chair if you plan to stay for the full concert
The City of Concord maintains the official Downtown Events calendar, which is the right place to check before heading out.
Read The Remaining Calendar By Mood, Not Just Date
As of July 15, eleven concerts remain. The official schedule offers several distinct runs rather than one long sequence of similar tribute bands.
| Date | Performer | What the night is built around |
|---|---|---|
| July 16 | Zepparella | An all-female Led Zeppelin tribute |
| July 23 | Green-182 | Green Day and Blink-182 |
| July 30 | Court n’ Disaster | Popular country music |
| August 6 | Twist on Taylor | Taylor Swift |
| August 13 | Carlos Reyes | Latin jazz |
| August 20 | The 3 Queens of Motown | Tina Turner, Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin |
| August 27 | Aja Vu | Steely Dan and Chicago |
| September 3 | Strange Daze | The Doors |
| September 10 | Steve Snyder’s Big Band | A tribute to the Concord Jazz Festival |
| September 17 | Sacred Fire Band | Santana |
| September 24 | House of Floyd | Pink Floyd |
The complete 2026 concert lineup also shows how the season arrived at this point. Andre Thierry opened with Cajun, zydeco and soul, followed by Dead & Breakfast, Neon Velvet, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, Funk Shui Band and Super Diamond.
That progression matters. It places dance music, blues, soul and tribute acts in conversation rather than repeating one formula every week.
July 16 and July 23 offer two very different versions of rock night
Zepparella brings more than a familiar Led Zeppelin songbook. The group’s official biography describes improvisation as part of its approach to the catalog. Founding drummer Clementine performs with guitarist Gretchen Menn, bassist Holly West and vocalist Anna Kristina.
One week later, Green-182 shifts the plaza toward Green Day and Blink-182. The Central Valley group comes from the Modesto area and formed in 2023 before expanding in 2024. Its members share connections through family, school and earlier jam sessions. That gives July 23 the feel of a regional pop-punk night rather than a generic touring production.
August changes the pacing
August opens with Twist on Taylor, then moves through Latin jazz, Motown and the polished songbooks of Steely Dan and Chicago. That sequence makes August the easiest month for choosing by musical style.
Carlos Reyes on August 13 is the clear choice for Latin jazz. The 3 Queens of Motown follows on August 20 with music associated with Tina Turner, Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin. Aja Vu closes the month on August 27 with Steely Dan and Chicago.
September 10 is the season’s local-history night
Steve Snyder’s Big Band is billed as a tribute to the Concord Jazz Festival. It is the date that connects the summer series most directly to Concord’s musical identity.
The surrounding September shows widen the frame. Strange Daze brings The Doors on September 3. Sacred Fire Band takes on Santana on September 17. House of Floyd closes the season with Pink Floyd on September 24.
If you select only one September concert, choose according to what you want from the plaza. Big band offers the strongest Concord connection. Santana suggests a rhythm-forward evening. Pink Floyd provides the season finale.
Build The Evening Backward From 6:30
The official timing is fixed. The Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association opens the market at 4 p.m., and the concert begins at 6:30 p.m.
An arrival between 4:30 and 5:15 is not an event rule. It is simply the most useful window if you want to shop without rushing, choose a place on the lawn and decide whether dinner is coming from a vendor or a nearby restaurant.
Todos Santos Plaza covers 2.5 acres between Salvio Street, Willow Pass Road, Grant Street and Mount Diablo Street. Permanent features include lawn, mature trees, benches, picnic tables and a small children’s play area. Your setup can be as simple as a lawn chair, or you can make a shorter stop that combines market shopping with part of the concert.
A well-paced Thursday might look like this:
- Arrive around 4:45 p.m. Walk the market before choosing dinner.
- Finish shopping by 5:45 p.m. Take produce back to the car if needed, or settle into the plaza.
- Be ready by 6:30 p.m. The concert runs until 8 p.m.
- Choose a final stop. Head home after the music or walk to a nearby taproom or restaurant.
Let The Market Decide Dinner
The Thursday market is operated by the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association. Its current Concord vendor list extends beyond produce and includes Alex’s Family Bee Farm, Bergaoui Cakes, Brothers Products S.F., Cabalen Sweet & Savory, Cafe Oasis and Chilly Willy’s Smokehouse BBQ.
Weekly attendance can change, so treat those names as possibilities rather than promises. The same applies to seasonal inventory.
Typical summer shopping includes strawberries, melons, plums, cherries, tomatoes and zucchini. Prepared foods, pastries and kettle corn may also be available. PCFMA currently identifies tomatoes as a seasonal highlight.
This creates a practical choice when you arrive. Shop for the week first, then decide whether the prepared-food options suit the evening. If they do not, several established restaurants sit within a short walk.
Match Dinner To The Kind Of Night You Want
The plaza supports three useful dining approaches.
Quick and casual before the concert
Skipolini’s Concord is at 2001 Salvio Street. It offers indoor and outdoor seating and is open Thursdays until 9:30 p.m. Pizza works well when the concert is the main event and dinner needs to stay uncomplicated.
Naan n Curry at 2068 Salvio Street offers Indo-Pakistani curries, tandoori dishes, biryani and naan. Its listed daily hours run until 10 p.m., making it suitable for takeout before the music or a later meal.
A seated dinner with the concert as a second act
Luna Ristorante at 2118 Willow Pass Road serves dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays. This is the more measured plan: dinner first, then walk over for part or all of the performance.
The timing is tighter than a market-first evening, so the restaurant becomes the center of the night rather than a quick stop between shopping and music.
One more stop after 8 p.m.
The Hop Grenade is directly on the plaza at 2151 Salvio Street and lists Thursday hours until 10 p.m.
Side Gate Brewery & Beer Garden is around the corner at 1822 Grant Street. It is open Thursdays from 3 to 10 p.m., brews beer and seltzer on-site, commonly hosts food trucks and permits outside food.
Treat both as separate pre-concert or post-concert destinations. Check current city event guidance before bringing a pet or outside alcohol into the concert area, since those 2026 policies are not clearly stated on the event page.
Parking Is Easier When You Skip The Curb Search
Downtown Concord offers two free structures near the plaza: the Salvio Street Garage and Grant Street Parking Garage. Metered street parking is another option, but the garages provide a more direct plan when the plaza is active.
Concord BART is about an eight-minute walk away via Grant Street. Blue wayfinding signs point toward the plaza. Riders arriving by bicycle can also find standard bike racks, 18 Bikeep smart racks and 64 on-demand BikeLink lockers at the station.
The practical choice depends on your evening. BART works well if dinner and the concert are both downtown. A garage may be more convenient if you are taking market purchases home.
One Calendar Detail To Check In September
The concerts definitively end on September 24. The Thursday market’s post-season schedule is less clear.
The City of Concord and PCFMA’s formal 2026 rules align the Thursday market with the concert season through September 24. PCFMA’s public Concord market page currently lists Thursday markets through October 8.
If you plan to return after the final concert, verify the date directly with PCFMA. Weekly vendors and weather-related changes should also be checked close to the event.
The Local Takeaway
Music & Market works best as a designed evening rather than a last-minute default. Choose the performance first. Decide whether the market, dinner or music gets the most time. Then use the plaza’s compact layout to keep the rest simple.
July 16 and July 23 deliver two distinct rock nights. August offers the widest genre range. September 10 carries the strongest Concord-specific musical reference, while September 24 provides a clear closing night.
That is the advantage of reading the full calendar. A Thursday at Todos Santos can be a market run, a full concert setup, a seated dinner or a late summer night downtown. The right plan depends on which part you want to frame.
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