Jennifer Russo

Get ready to soak up the sun, enjoy some cold drinks, enjoy a beautiful lake view, and sing along to some of your favorite songs this year! Indian Ranch, one of the most unique live music venues in New England for 79 years now, has kicked off its summer season with another incredible concert series, with a little something for everyone. Whether you like rock, country, or a little bit of both, the schedule of music legends, tribute bands, and rising stars covers it all.

Interestingly enough, Indian Ranch had a close call and may not still exist today. The venue was under the same owner for over fifty years, who grew it to be a country music destination, but was selling the property. There was a developer interested that planned to turn the land into condominiums. Thankfully, Suzette Robert and her family purchased it in 2004 instead, with the intention of keeping it as a music venue.

“At the time, my father was retiring and was looking for a project, and my brother, who had always been really into music, gave some input too. We really thought it was a beautiful spot. It had a nice campground, a great stage on the water, and so much potential. So, we decided to make a go of it – upgraded everything and then added the restaurant a couple of years ago. We are grateful that it has been so successful and that we are able to continue the legacy of providing great entertainment here,” shares Suzette.

What shows can you expect this summer?

“Indian Ranch was always well known as a country venue, hosting names such as Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, so of course we still want to showcase today’s country stars, but we also want to offer some musical diversity. We have found that a lot of people really love tribute bands, because a lot of those original bands don’t play anymore. It’s an opportunity to see “them” playing live again, so we add a lot of them to the schedule,” says Suzette.

June offers us Tesla, Get the Led Out, Cole Swindell, and a Taylor Swift tribute. On June 29^th, they are bringing back one of the most popular annual festivals, Nash Icon Local Countryfest, with Lexi James & Wildheart, the Whitney Doucet Band, Garth Live, and Traveller: The Chris Stapleton Experience, as well as a few acoustic performances. 

July brings Little River Band, Parmalee, The Pike Grungefest, a Fleetwood Mac tribute, Yachtley Crew, Almost Queen, Jake Owen with Uncle Kracker. There is also a true step back into the eighties with Hairfest 2025 – a mashup that includes professional tributes for Def Leppard, Queensryche, Poison, Ozzy, and more. The people-watching for that show is phenomenal, and while it might be too warm for leather pants, you are more than welcome to wear them with some big hair and neon eyeshadow.

Shows in August include Flatland Cavalry, an ABBA tribute, Badfish (Sublime tribute), Lee Brice, Tyler Hubbard, Get the LED Out, KC and the Sunshine Band, an Elton John and Billy Joel tribute, and fan-favorite Aaron Lewis is back for two dates this year, which “always sells out” per Suzette. Get your hands on those tickets quickly!

The 3,000-capacity outdoor venue is just big enough to pack a great crowd without being so large that you lose the intimacy of the performances. And, in a world where ticket prices for many concerts are into the stratosphere, Indian Ranch keeps them pretty reasonable, especially since there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. Even the General Admission seats are close to the stage. All shows are rain or shine, but there are covered seats available.

Aside from the main stage shows, there are also some year-round events that are great for a solo moment, a fun time with friends, or a date with your sweetheart. 

On Thursday nights they have Music on the Beach, and there are additional live music events and comedy nights over at Samuel Slater’s. The onsite restaurant offers a delicious menu that includes a full BBQ platter called the Country Boy (Smoked brisket, corn, mac & cheese, cornbread, picked veggies – ummm, yes please!) and has a great drink selection (the Clouded Judgement is an experience). Be sure to make a reservation, it gets filled quickly on show days.

The campground is seasonal from May to mid-October, with access to amenities such as the pool, beach, fitness room, laundry, and more. There are also some sites left open to use for people coming for a weekend to see the concerts, and there are three rentable campers for those like that ‘glamping’ experience.

There’s the beautiful Indian Princess cruise ship that offers lake tours of Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg (spellcheck need not apply, it really IS called that in native Algonquian), as well as music and specialty cruises, like the Margaritaville Cruise which offers light apps and Tom Revane playing all of your favorite Buffett tunes. The boat also goes out before and after shows if you want to “pre-game” or “post-game” in style. 

“If you’re looking to have a nice day out and not spend the kind of money that you would at a big stadium for tickets, concessions, and drinks, check us out. The experience is a budget-friendly, low-key atmosphere with a very relaxed vibe,” Suzette says.

To learn more about Indian Ranch and see the awesome schedule of events they have planned, buy tickets, or make reservations at Samuel Slater’s – visit them at www.indianranch.com – you can also follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/IndianRanch or on IG at @indian_ranch