It’s that time of year again — when islanders of all ages can gather to picnic, listen to free concerts and dance barefoot on the grass at Vashon Park District’s annual Concerts in the Parks series at Ober Park.

The series, presented in partnership with Vashon Events, will take place on Thursday nights, from 7 to 9 p.m. throughout August. Attendees are invited to bring a blanket or lawn chair to enjoy the music.

However, those blankets and chairs may not get much use because each concert features a different but equally danceable music genre that is likely to get islanders up and moving.

The series will kick off on Aug. 3, with Jacob Bain and Public the Quest, an iconic island band that incorporates Afro-beat elements with folk, rock and alternative leanings. Monica Schley, a harpist, poet, and songwriter will open for the band.

On Aug. 10, another acclaimed and well-traveled island musician, Ian Moore, will bring his band to the stage. Moore, who tours widely and has released 14 albums, plays rock music with wide and ecumenical influences gleaned from a lineage of great Texas songwriters and guitarists.

Local songwriter Alex Davis will open Moore’s show.

On Aug 17, Locarno, a band that plays groove-heavy Mexican folk music, will perform, with islander Ian Olney, also known as Sunbeam, opening the show.

On Aug. 24, a supergroup of iconic Northwest musicians, Bowie/Rex & His Boogie Army, will perform a tribute to The Cars, The Kinks, David Bowie, Marc Boland & T-Rex, Roxy Music, and other 1970s iconic influences.

The band includes frontman Martin Feveyear, a noted island music producer, Dave Dederer (Presidents of the USA), Michael Musburger (The Posies) Billy Stover (Dusty 45s), and Jeremy Lightfoot (Danny Newcomb). Backup singers Rhiannon Walther and Melissa Feveyear complete the ensemble.

Islander Maire Kennan will open that show.

The concert series will conclude on Aug. 31, with Djeliyah Band, playing West African music, islanders Anna Hicks and Zoey Rice opening the show.

The opening acts for each band are part of the Vashon Events program, “New Voices,” aimed at giving islanders an opportunity to hear the latest additions to the island music scene.

A reminder: no dogs are allowed in Ober Park. Alcohol and smoking are also not permitted.