photo by: Ashley Hocking

The Wailers perform an outdoor concert in the 1100 block of Massachusetts Street on Friday, June 29, 2018. The concert was hosted by The Granada as part of its Live On Mass concert series.

Three popular local events are staging a comeback this summer after being canceled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, giving the public several chances in the coming weeks to enjoy live music and drinks in the open air.

Lawrence city commissioners approved street party permits this week for the Sandbar Block Party, the outdoor concert series Live on Mass and the Kansas State Fiddling and Picking Championship. All three events feature live music and free admission.

The Sandbar Block Party will take place in the 100 block of East Eighth Street the evenings of Aug. 6 and Aug. 7 from 5 p.m. to midnight, according to the Facebook event. The block party will feature live music from Heavy Petty, $ellout!, Soundwave LFK, ThunderKat: Epic ’80s Power Rock, and Disco Dick And The Mirrorballs. The commission approved a permit for alcohol sales and consumption in the public right-of-way for the block party.

Live on Mass, which is put on by the Granada, is scheduled for Aug. 14 in the 1000 block of Massachusetts Street. The outdoor concert will feature the artist Citizen Cope as part of a “full band show,” according to an announcement on the Granada’s website. Gates will open at 6 p.m. and the show will begin at 7 p.m. The concert series has brought various artists to Lawrence. The commission approved a permit for alcohol sales and consumption in the public right-of-way, and a street event permit is currently pending, according to a city staff memo to the commission.

The Kansas State Fiddling & Picking Championships, an event that’s celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, will take place Aug. 22 in South Park. The annual event usually lasts throughout the day on the fourth Sunday of August and includes competitions in multiple categories as well as concerts and jam sessions. More details about this year’s event will be announced on the event’s website, fidpick.com. The commission approved a permit for alcohol sales and consumption in the public right-of-way in the 1100 block of Massachusetts Street, between North Park Street and South Park Street from noon to 6:30 p.m.