Live Music at Blackmon Amphitheatre: North Tower Band Brings a Summer Night to Surry Cellars Country
As listed on Eventbrite, the Surry Arts Council is bringing the North Tower Band to the Blackmon Amphitheatre on Thursday, July 30, 2026, as part of their Summer Concert Series.
If you live anywhere near Dobson, this is the kind of Thursday you plan your whole week around.
A Concert Night Worth Building a Full Day Around
Here's the thing about a summer concert in the Yadkin Valley. The show itself is great, but the hours leading up to it are where the real experience lives. You've got rolling Piedmont countryside, long golden evenings, and a winery sitting right there in Dobson that most people haven't discovered yet.
Surry Cellars is one of the more unique stops in the valley. It's run out of Surry Community College's viticulture program, which means the whole place has this hands-on, educational energy that you don't find at your typical tasting room. The vineyard views across the campus are genuinely pretty, and the people pouring the wine can actually tell you how it was made, because in many cases they helped make it.
For a first-timer to Yadkin Valley wine, there's no better starting point. The staff isn't trying to impress you with jargon. They're there to teach, and that makes the whole visit comfortable regardless of how much you know about wine.
What to Taste Before the Show
Surry Cellars keeps a solid lineup across styles, so there's something for everyone you're bringing along. Their Cabernet Sauvignon has earned recognition at the NC State Fair, and their Chardonnay has done well in regional competition. Those are the two I'd start with if you want to get a sense of what this program can do at its best.
Beyond those, they pour a Seyval Blanc that works well on a warm afternoon, and a Muscadine for anyone who wants to try something with deep North Carolina roots.
The place is picnic-friendly, so pack a cooler. There's no food service on-site, but that's actually part of the charm. Grab something from a local spot in Dobson, spread out on the campus grounds, and take your time.
Check their hours before you go. The schedule can shift, so a quick look at the Surry Cellars website before you head out is worth it.
The North Tower Band at Blackmon Amphitheatre
The Blackmon Amphitheatre is a good outdoor venue, the kind of place where you can actually enjoy the music without fighting the space. The Surry Arts Council has been running the Summer Concert Series long enough to know how to put together a good show, and the North Tower Band is a strong draw for a July evening.
July 30 lands on a Thursday, which honestly works in your favor. It won't have the weekend crowd, parking is easier, and the whole thing feels a little more relaxed. That's the version of a summer night out that I prefer.
Bring a blanket or low chairs if you have them, and plan to arrive with enough time to get settled before the music starts. These outdoor shows in the valley fill up, and the people who get there early are always the ones who look most comfortable by the second song.
Plan Your Trip Around This
Dobson sits at a good spot geographically if you want to extend the trip beyond just one stop. The valley has a lot to offer within a short drive, and a Thursday evening show gives you a natural anchor to plan around, whether that means an afternoon at Surry Cellars, a drive through the back roads before the concert, or staying over and exploring more the next morning.
The Surry Arts Council's Summer Concert Series is one of those local traditions that reminds me why this region is worth paying attention to. It's not trying to be anything it isn't. It's just good music in a good place on a summer night.
If you want to build a full itinerary around July 30, I built the planner at ValleySomm to handle exactly this. Pick your wineries, and it'll map the route, suggest lunch stops, and make sure you hit the highlights before the show. Plan your Yadkin Valley wine trip and let it do the work so you can focus on the evening.