Everybody seems to be watching what they spend these days. And it definitely makes sense, given what it costs to take your family out to an amusement park or even just the movies these days.

Of course, concerts can be one of the priciest ways to get your entertainment fix, with some performers charging absolutely astronomical figures for tickets.

Yet, there are plenty of ways to enjoy great live music without dropping a dime on tickets.

All you need to do is take advantage of one of the many free summer concert series that are happening all of the Bay Area.

The offerings range from rock, jazz and blues to R&B, hip-hop and beyond. So you’re sure to find something that matches your own personal musical tastes at one of these events.

The following is our annual guide to the top free concert series taking place over the next few months.

In Marin

Belvedere Concerts in the Park

When: 4 p.m. June 15, July 13 and Aug. 10 and 31

Where: Belvedere Community Park

Information: cityofbelvedere.org

• Beatles tribute band the Sun Kings, June 15

• Dance band Hip Service, July 13

• James Garner’s tribute to Johnny Cash, Aug. 10

• Bee Gees tribute band You Should Be Dancing, Aug. 31

Concerts on the Green

When: 6 to 8 p.m. June 6 and 20, July 18 and Aug. 1 and 15

Where: Novato Civic Green, 901 Sherman Ave.

• Americana rock group Anthony Arya Band, June 6

• Rock ‘n’ roll group King Dream, June 20

• Bay Area cover band Papa Joe & the New Deal, July 18

• Wolf Jett with “cosmic mountain music,” Aug. 1

• Reggae band Sol Horizon, Aug. 15

Concerts in the Plaza

When: 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 31

Where: Depot Plaza, Mill Valley

Information: cityofmillvalley.gov

• Multigenerational Latin fusion band Los Mendoza y Friends, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

• Bay Area reggae band IrieFuse, 1 to 2:30 p.m.• Blues group Nancy Fawson, 3 to 4:30 p.m.

• Mark Karan’s Buds, 5 to 6:30 p.m.

• Bay Area Afrobeat group Soji and the Afrobeat Band, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Corte Madera Summer Concert Series

When: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Sundays from June 8 through Aug. 24

Where: Piccolo Pavilion in Corte Madera

Information: cortemaderacommunityfoundation.org

• Mother Hips founding member Greg Loiacono with his side project, Stingray, June 8

• Corte Madera Town Band, June 15

• Psychedelic rockers the Great North Special, June 22

• Bay Area indie folk and soul artist August Lee Stevens, June 29

See full schedule online.

Creekside Fridays

When: 5 to 7:30 p.m. June 13 and 27, July 11 and 25, Aug. 8 and 22, and Sept. 5

Where: The Cabin, Tam Valley

Information: tamcsd.org/creekside-fridays

• Mesa Trio, June 13

• Pacific Standard, June 27

• Bay Area rock cover band Fog City Swampers, July 11

• Rockin’ dance group Cole Tate Band, July 25

• Maddy & the Mayors, Aug. 8

• Marin string band Fog Burners, Aug. 22

• Marin indie rock band Marble Party, Sept. 5

Hot Amphitheater Nights

When: 5 to 7 p.m. June 28, July 26 and Aug. 30

Where: Hamilton Amphitheater, 601 North Hamilton Parkway, Novato

Information: novato.org/events

• Santana tribute band Carnaval, June 28

• Bay Area party band Pop Fiction, July 26

• Dance band the Timebandits, Aug. 30

Jazz and Blues by the Bay

When: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Fridays from June 6 through Aug. 29 (no show July 4); 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 5 and 12

Where: Gabrielson Park, Sausalito

Information: jazzandbluesbythebay.com

• Powerhouse vocalist Annie Sampson and her band, June 6

• Swampy tonk dance band Miracle Mule, June 13

• Pascal Bokar AfroBlueGrazz Band, June 20

• Aki Kumar, the “King of Bollywood blues,” June 27

• Slide guitar virtuoso Dennis Johnson and his band, the Revelators, July 11

See full schedule online.

Live on the Avenue

When: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays from June 20 through Sept. 27

Where: Creek Park Amphitheatre and Town Hall Plaza, San Anselmo

Information: liveontheavenue.org

• Bay Area rock ‘n’ roll group Walking Mirrors and Black Cat Zydeco, June 20

• Rojai and the Pocket and Pickled Fish Trio, June 21

• Essence and Gold Country and Matt Jaffe Band, June 27

• Soulful group Big Blu Soul Revue and the Dorian Mode, June 28

See full schedule online.

Music in the Park

When: 6 to 8 p.m. June 13, 20 and 27

Where: Piper Park, Larkspur

Information: ci.larkspur.ca.us

• Americana string band False Bottom Band, June 13

• Marin ’70s cover band Funk Nugget, June 20

• Bay Area indie rock and Americana group El Cajon, June 27

Peri Park Concert Series

When: 2 to 3:30 p.m. June 1; 1 to 5 p.m. June 21; 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 2; and 4 to 5:30 p.m. Aug. 9

Where: Peri Park, Fairfax

Information: townoffairfaxca.gov

• Marin singer-songwriter Lindsay Everly, June 1

• Marin rock band Torpedo Wharf featuring El Camino Real + Kids On A Crime Spree, June 21

• Marin world music artist Gary Muszynski, Aug. 2

• World-renowned violinist Mads Tolling, Aug. 9

Outside Marin

Where: Stern Grove, 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard, San Francisco

Information: sterngrove.org

Highlights: Sensational alt-rockers Sleater-Kinney, Sacramento punk act Destroy Boys (June 29); legendary Oakland pop-soul act Pointer Sisters, Berkeley hip-hop hero Lyrics Born (Aug. 10); Motown great Diana Ross (Aug. 17)

Note: While general admission is free, fans must still try to reserve their tickets in advance through an online lottery system. The lottery for each concert opens six weeks prior to that show date and stays open for one week. Ticket winners will receive notice by email. Also, there are options for people to make donations to the festival and, in doing so, secure tickets in advance.

Los Gatos Jazz on the Plazz

When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays from June 25 through Aug. 20 (no concert July 2)

Where: Los Gatos Town Plaza, West Main Street and Santa Cruz Avenue

Information: jazzontheplazz.com

Highlights: Grammy-winner Mads Tolling & The Mads Men with vocalist Kenny Washington (June 25); Full Spectrum Jazz Orchestra with Kyle Hernandez performing a Tribute to Pat Metheny (July 9); celebrated jazz vocalist Clairdee (Aug. 13)

Note: There is an option to buy reserved seats.

Mission College Summer Concert Series

When: 6 p.m. June 4 and 18, July 16 and 30, and Aug. 6

Where: Central Plaza, Mission College, Santa Clara

Information: missioncollege.edu

Highlights: Grammy-winning Santana vocalist Tony Lindsay (June 4); salsa band Edgardo & Candela (June 18); R&B/blues/zydeco/Cajun music act Iko Ya Ya (July 30)

Concord Music & Market Series

When: 6:30 p.m. Thursdays from June 5 through Sept. 25

Where: Todos Santos Plaza, between Mount Diablo and Grant streets, Concord

Information: cityofconcord.org/downtownevents

Highlights: K-pop act 2Z (June 26); Taylor Swift tribute act Twist on Taylor (July 31); “Concord’s Queen of Blues and Soul” Annie Sampson (Sept. 18)

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival

When: Various dates and times through Nov. 1

Where: Yerba Buena Gardens lawn, Fourth and Mission streets, San Francisco

Information: ybgfestival.org

Highlights: Swing music specialists Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers (6 p.m. July 3); Brooklyn indo-jazz act Arun Ramamurthy Trio (12:30 p.m. July 17); R&B powerhouse Lady Bianca and West Coast Caravan of Allstars (12:30 p.m. Aug. 7)

Sunset by the Lake Summer Concerts

When: 6 p.m. June 8 and 22; July 6 and 20; and Aug. 3, 17 and 31

Where: Pleasant Hill City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane

Information: pleasanthillca.org

Highlights: Country/rock act Bell Brothers (July 6); blues-rockers Dirty Cello (Aug. 17)

Redwood City Music in the Park

When: 6 p.m. Wednesdays from June 19 through Aug. 21

Where: Stafford Park, King Street and Hopkins Avenue, Redwood City

Information: redwoodcity.org

Highlights: Celtic rockers Tempest (June 25); Americana Jimbo Scott and Yesterday’s Biscuits (July 9); Zydeco artist Andre Thierry (July 16)

Morgan Hill Friday Night Music Series

When: 5:30 p.m. Fridays from June 13 through Aug. 22 (no concert July 4)

Where: Downtown Amphitheater, Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill

Information: morganhillchamber.org/friday-night-music-series

Highlights: Patron Latin Rhythms (June 13); Journey tribute Faithfully Live (July 18); funk/soul/disco/Latin act The Hitmen (Aug. 8)

Point Richmond Music

When: 5:30 p.m. June 13, July 11, Aug. 8 and Sept. 12

Where: Downtown Point Richmond, Park Place between West Richmond and Washington avenues

Information: pointrichmondmusic.org

Highlights: Americana acts Chris James & The Showdowns, with Maurice Tani (June 13); soul acts Burrows & Dilbeck, with Big Blu Soul Revue (Aug. 8)

Pub in the Park

When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 31, July 12, Aug. 2 and Sept. 6

Where: Red Morton Park, 1120 Roosevelt Ave., Redwood City

Information: redwoodcity.org

Highlights: Bluegrass band Wildcat Mountain Ramblers (May 31); bluegrass act Savanna Blu (Sept. 6)

Summer Concerts at the Lake Merritt Bandstand

When: 1 p.m. July 4, 13, 20 and 27, and Aug. 3

Where: Edoff Memorial Bandstand, Lakeside Park, Oakland

Information: oaklandmunicipalband.org

Featuring: The Oakland Municipal Band

Kids Rock!

When: 10 a.m. June 28, July 19 and Aug. 9

Where: Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City

Information: redwoodcity.org

Highlights: Redwood City’s own Andy Z and the Andyland Band (June 28); James Henry’s House of Samba Kids (Aug. 9)

Golden Gate Park Band

When: 1 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 28, also concerts on July 4 and Sept. 1

Where: Spreckels Temple of Music (aka Golden Gate Bandshell), Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

Information: goldengateparkband.org

Sounds of the Shores

When: 5 p.m. June 28, July 19 and Aug. 9

Where: Marlin Park, 500 Cringle Drive, Redwood City

Information: redwoodcity.org

Highlights: Rock/R&B/soul act The Cocktail Monkeys (June 28); San Jose rock trio act PB&J (July 19)