ALBION, Neb. -- "Downtown Albion is ready to welcome you," said Director of Economic Development and Housing, Maggie Smith.

The city of Albion is welcoming the public to enjoy its second year of the Summer Concert Series. 

The free, family-friendly event features different Nebraska based bands every Thursday until the end of July as a break in the week. 

The series was created a year ago from an offer by the Albion Area Arts Council during an Albion Economic Development Corporation meeting. 

"They were trying to build up this venue space and they wanted to host a concert series and so I said that that Albion Art Council would be willing to do that," said Jennifer Walters, Director of Albion Area Arts Council. "And so it kind of started from scratch with no plan last year and it's turned into an incredibly popular event for the community." 

The event welcomes around 100 to 400 community members each Thursday for a festive night of live music, different food vendors, and soon even a farmer's market. 

The Summer Concert Series takes place downtown, with the entire space usually blocked off. 

"Downtowns are really important everywhere you go, not just in rural America," Smith said. "And we wanted to be able to have people in the city of Albion enjoying their downtown, and a way for people to do that was to bring live music into downtown; give people an opportunity to create community while experiencing the arts." 

The Summer Concert Series was put together in part by the Albion Area Arts Council, the Albion Economic Development Corporation, Highway 14 Brewing Company, and the Cornerstone Bank. 

Live music starts at 7 p.m. but people are welcome to show up before then with a suggested lawn chair as seating is limited.