FIA Patio Nights bring live music, art and community together on summer Fridays

FIA’s Patio Nights bring live music, food, and good times to Flint and Genesee County. Courtesy photo.

FLINT, Michigan — Friday nights at the Flint Institute of Arts are taking on a different rhythm this August, as live music, food and community gatherings fill the museum lawn for the final weeks of the FIA’s annual Patio Night series.

A collaboration between the Flint Institute of Arts (FIA) and Flint Institute of Music (FIM), Patio Night offers free Friday evening entertainment throughout the summer, pairing performances by local musicians with extended museum hours and food and drink offerings from the Palette Café.

“Patio Night is a partnership between the FIA and FIM designed to bring free, fun, Friday entertainment to Flint all summer long,” says Phillip Krapohl, FIA Marketing-Communications Lead. “Our two institutions have been growing this collab together since 2021, and it seems to get bigger and better each summer.”

The series gives residents another way to experience the FIA.

While the museum remains open until 8 p.m. on Patio Nights, much of the evening’s activity takes place outside on the museum lawn and Palette Café Patio. Live music begins at 6 p.m., and food and drink specials are available to purchase from the café starting at 5 p.m.

Krapohl describes the atmosphere as relaxed, with visitors using the event as an opportunity to ease into the weekend.

“The vibe is laid back and al fresco,” Krapohl says. “People are unwinding and starting their weekends; they bring the family, the dogs, have some food and drinks, and enjoy a cool atmosphere, good music, and great company.”

Guests can arrive early to find a seat on the patio or bring their own chairs and blankets to spread out on the lawn. If weather prevents an outdoor gathering, the festivities move inside to the FIA’s Isabel Hall.

Julie Hugunin of Thistle Groove Collective performed earlier in the season at Patio Night. Courtesy photo.

Local music takes center stage

Music is at the heart of each Patio Night, with this summer’s performers provided through FIM’s “Music Around Town” series.

Earlier performances this season included Thistle Groove Collective with Julie Hugunin and the Celtic harmonies of Roane.

For the final three weeks of the season, the FIA will welcome the Fabulous Vintage Boys along with two returning groups: bluegrass performers The Outfit and classic rock band Rodeo Drive.

The variety is part of an event that the FIA hopes will appeal to a broad cross-section of the Flint community.

“We hope Patio Night can be a draw for all audiences — friends, families, couples — this is for everyone,” Krapohl says.

That accessibility is also reflected in the cost. Admission to Patio Night is free, supported in part by the Genesee County arts millage.

For Krapohl, events such as Patio Night also reflect a larger purpose for the museum and its place within the community.

Community members enjoying good eats and conversations at FIA’s Patio Nights. Courtesy photo.

“Our mission at the FIA is to connect diverse communities through fun, creative and inspiring visual art experiences,” he says. “Spending Friday evenings with a few hundred friends listening to amazing local musicians out on the Palette Café Patio is just another way we get to do that. Art brings us together!”

Visitors who come for the music can also spend their Friday evening exploring the museum itself.

FIA galleries remain open until 8 p.m. during Patio Night, giving attendees an opportunity to move between the outdoor festivities and the art inside.

Currently on view is M.C. Escher: Infinite Variations, an exhibition featuring the work of artist M.C. Escher.

That combination of visual art, live music, and an informal outdoor gathering offers visitors the chance to experience the FIA whether they are regular museumgoers or just looking for something to do on a summer Friday night.

For first-time visitors, the setup is intentionally simple: arrive early for a patio seat or bring a chair or blanket for the lawn, grab food or a drink from the Palette Café, and settle in before the music begins at 6 p.m.

And, according to Krapohl, the goal is less about creating a traditional museum event and more about giving the community a place to gather.

“Art brings us together,” he says.

Patio Nights continue every Friday throughout August at the Flint Institute of Arts. Food and drink specials begin at 5 p.m., live music begins at 6 p.m., and FIA galleries remain open until 8 p.m. Admission to Patio Night is free.

“Our arts & culture coverage is made possible by support from the Flint Institute of Arts.”