AUBURN — The Auburn Community Band, under the direction of Milt Simon, will kick off its annual summer series of weekly outdoor evening concerts Wednesday, June 16, at Festival Plaza.

The 7 p.m. performance is the first of 11 programs scheduled at the Main Street location. The free concerts will continue weekly on Wednesday evenings through Aug. 25, weather-permitting.

Starting with the June 30 concert, if inclement weather is forecasted, the band will move its performance indoors to the ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn Auburn Riverwatch at Great Falls Plaza.

Simon organized the community band in the fall of 1981, after finding 15 interested individuals. This 29th season, the group numbers 47 volunteer musicians who range in age from 20 to 85. Together, they represent 16 central and southern Maine communities.

The band “gives many individuals a chance to utilize musical talents neglected since their high-school days, and the entire community benefits,” said Simon.

The Auburn group “is one of the larger community bands in the state of Maine and commonly attracts 300 to 400 people to its weekly concerts,” he added.

The opening night performance will feature many new songs added to the band’s repertoire during this past winter’s rehearsal season, along with some popular marches.

Throughout the next two months, the band will present a different musical theme and selection of songs every Wednesday evening. People planning to attend should bring lawn chairs and are advised to arrive at Festival Plaza well before the 7 p.m. concert start time. Free parking is available in the parking garage across the street from the plaza.

The summer concert program follows:

June 16: “Spring Into Summer,” featuring new songs added to the band’s repertoire.

June 23: “American Music Classics,” featuring music by Rogers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter and George Gershwein.

June 30: “Around The World in 80 Minutes,” featuring Brazilian, European, Latin and Spanish themes from well-known musicals, movies and TV shows.

July 7: “An Evening of Patriotic Music,” featuring spirited marches and patriotic songs, including a salute to each branch of the nation’s armed forces.

July 14: “The Music of Famous Musicians,” featuring hit songs performed by Sinatra, Elvis, Neil Diamond, Ray Charles, Elton John and others.

July 21: “It’s Showtime,” featuring a collection of memorable tunes from both Broadway and the big screen.

July 28: “Forgotten But Unforgettable,” an evening of music nostalgia under the stars.

Aug. 4: “Let’s Dance,” featuring five decades of dancing music, including big band, Motown and rock ‘n’ roll.

Aug. 11: “Famous Musical Groups,” featuring hit songs by Earth, Wind & Fire; Chicago; and the Doors, Beatles, Beach Boys and Four Seasons.

Aug. 18 : “Take Two,” an opportunity to hear highlights from the band’s nine prior concerts presented earlier in the summer.

Aug. 25: “The Auburn Community Band’s Greatest Hits,” featuring some of the community band’s best-known and most requested songs from its past 28 seasons.

For more information, call the Auburn Parks and Recreation Department at 333-6601 ext. 2108, or visit www.auburncommunityband.com.