June 13, 2017 | By Tim Pratt

The 12th annual Music on the Hill concert series is set to kick off June 14 at St. John’s College in Santa Fe.

The concerts, to be held Wednesday evenings through July 26, feature a variety of musical acts—including jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, and Latin. Admission is free.

“It’s the most relaxing, fun, family-friendly event in Santa Fe,” says Carolyn Kingston, the college’s Director of Community Events and Outreach. “It’s one of the few places in Santa Fe where you can play in the grass, kick off your shoes and listen to good music.”

The concert series has grown since its inception more than a decade ago, Kingston says, from initial crowds of a few hundred people to, more recently, as many as 1,500 per event. Located on the college athletic field, Music on the Hill now features a larger stage, more banners and vendors. Vendors offering food and frozen yogurt will be on hand this year.

Many who attend the events bring blankets, food and drinks, and enjoy picnics as musicians play on stage. Others dance while their children play nearby. Games of Frisbee and soccer have popped up frequently over the years, Kingston says.

“It is definitely an all-ages experience,” she says.

Accomplished jazz musician Ali Ryerson will kick off the series with a performance on June 14. Other performers throughout the series include The Pleasure Pilots, Detroit Lightning, Nacha Mendez, Maqueque & Jane Bunett, and Son Como Son.