LUDLOW, Vermont ??” They say music soothes the savage beast, and what better way to tame the beast of workweek stress than with a relaxing, musical start to the weekend? Okemo Mountain Resort presents the Jackson Gore Outdoor Music Series with a free live concert every Friday night, for 13 weeks, starting June 2 and running through September 1 (excluding June 16).

On Friday nights throughout the summer season, the lawn in the courtyard at Okemo’s Jackson Gore Inn will be transformed into an outdoor concert venue featuring renowned local and regional entertainers. Admission to the Jackson Gore Outdoor Music Series is free and the grounds open at 5 p.m. Concerts are slated to start at 6 p.m. and end at 9 p.m. Families are welcome and all attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. In case of rain, the concerts will move indoors to Jackson Gore’s Roundhouse.

When it comes to dinner, the Jackson Gore Inn has concertgoers covered. All the tempting fare of a traditional outdoor barbecue, plus beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages, will be available for on-site picnicking. For a complete and memorable dining experience, The Coleman Brook Tavern, adjacent to the Jackson Gore Inn lobby, features the culinary talents of Chef Michael Breen. Families love The Coleman Brook Tavern and couples who are looking for a more adult atmosphere can enjoy the same menu offerings in the elegance of the Tavern’s new Wine Room.

The Jackson Gore Outdoor Music Series kicks off June 2 with the Sandra Wright Band. True to her Memphis, Tenn. roots, Sandra, Vermont’s “Blues Diva,” remembers the flavors of Beale Street while playing for packed houses and enthusiastic audiences in high-profile venues like the Toronto Soul & Blues Festival, Ben & Jerry’s One World Festival, and the DuMaurier Jazz Festival in Halifax, NS. The current lineup of the Sandra Wright Band features the Nerbak Brothers – Dave on guitar and Matthew on drums, as well as keyboardist Michael Sucher.

The Taylor Carson Band takes the stage June 9. Then, after a one-week break, the concert series returns June 23 with Dan Coleron followed by the Greesom Band, June 30.

Other musical artists scheduled throughout the season include Rick Redington, July 7; Miracle Train, July 14; Nathan Brady Crain +2, July 21; BrightWings, July 28; OFM, Aug. 4; ?‚ Bobby Dick and the Sundowners, Aug. 11; Chris Kleeman, Aug. 18; Gypsy Reel, Aug. 25 and finally, the Adam Ezra Group on Sept. 1.

For more information about the Jackson Gore Outdoor Music Series, please visit www.okemo.com or call 802-228-1425. For dinner reservations at the Coleman Brook Tavern, call 802-228-1435.