Earlier this month, the City of Pleasanton officially unveiled the Don Lewis Harmonic Symphony artwork at Delucchi Park on 4501 First Street. The public piece, which includes a sculpture called Maestro and interactive musical instruments, honors Don Lewis, a pioneering electronic musician and inventor who called Pleasanton home for 35 years until his death in 2022.

The project was initiated through a partnership between the Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council and Nancy and Gary Harrington's Harrington Art Partnership Piece for You (H.A.P.P.Y.) program. The Don Lewis Harmonic Symphony continues the legacy of Don Lewis and his lifelong belief in the transformative power of music. The artwork’s recent unveiling was a perfect kickoff to summer, the ideal season for enjoying music and other delights outdoors.

Summer Traditions

The annual Alameda County Fair opens on Friday, June 19 and runs through Sunday, July 12 except for Mondays and Tuesdays, when it is closed. Highlights of the fair include evening concerts and movie showings. The concert series includes the Gene Simmons Band on Friday, June 19; En Vogue on Friday, June 26; and Boyz II Men on Friday, July 10.

Tri-Valley residents and visitors will have many other opportunities to enjoy live music this season as well. The City of Dublin, for example, recently began its annual Summer Concert Series, which runs on Thursdays until August 6 between 6 and 8 pm during the Dublin Farmers’ Market. There will be a Juneteenth Celebration on June 18, with band Best Intentions playing classic Motown, old school, and rhythm and blues. No Doubt and Gwen Stefani tribute band Hella Doubtful perform on June 25. Amor Prohibido, a Selena tribute band, are featured on July 9. Bands Pop Fiction, The Unauthorized Rolling Stones, Take 2, and Tainted Love round out the roster for this concert series.

The Pleasanton Downtown Association’s 2026 Concert in the Park Season started on June 5 and continues until August 29. The Friday concerts are held from 7 to 8:30 pm at the bandstand in Lions Wayside Park. Upcoming performances include Sky Eyes playing reggae on June 19, the Honkytonk Heroes playing country on July 10, Evan Thomas and the Brotherhood playing blues on July 17, and Diablo Fugitives playing rock and roll covers on August 21.

Abundant Live Music Options

There are a host of opportunities to enjoy live music in beautiful Tri-Valley settings. Many Livermore wineries host live music and tasting evenings over the summer. Wente is well-known for its summer concerts, but it is hardly alone. Dante Robere Vineyards and Rios-Lovell Estate Winery among the many other Livermore viticulture businesses that host summer music and tasting events. Fenestra Winery, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, has a Friday night concert series that began in May and runs through October, with a wide variety of music types on offer.

Music lovers can also find enjoyment at a variety of Tri-Valley restaurants, pubs, and other venues in Pleasanton and elsewhere that feature live performances. Mavericks, which is located at Hacienda, is a restaurant and country bar that offers regular live music nights as well as line dancing. McKay’s Beer Garden in Pleasanton also supports live music. The Dustbowl Travelers Trio, for example, will be playing rock, bluegrass, and folk music between 6:30 and 9:30 pm on Saturday, June 20.

As many fans have experienced, music can lift the spirit and leave listeners in a good mood. This is something Don Lewis well understood. As city officials explain, Lewis was an American vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and electronic engineer whose work helped shape the trajectory of modern music. He designed the Live Electronic Orchestra (LEO) in 1974, a groundbreaking integrated sound controller that predated MIDI technology by a decade. Lewis collaborated with Roland founder Ikutaro Kakehashi on iconic instruments, including the TR-808 drum machine, and worked as a sound designer and musician for artists including Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, and the Beach Boys. Today, thanks to Nancy and Gary Harrington's H.A.P.P.Y. program, Delucchi Park visitors can honor Lewis by making their own music at any time of the year as part of enjoying the Don Lewis Harmonic Symphony artwork.

To discover more musical offerings, please visit Visit Tri-Valley’s event website at www.vibetrivalley.com.

For more information about the Alameda County Fair, please visit www.annual.alamedacountyfair.com.

For more information about the City of Dublin’s Summer Concert Series, please visit www.dublin.ca.gov/1917/Summer-Concert-Series.

For more information about the Pleasanton Downtown Association’s 2026 Concert in the Park Season, please visit www.pleasantondowntown.net/concert-in-the-park.

Photo by Greysen Johnson on Unsplash