ROCKIN' RICHMOND COUNTY: Bands set to perform at Boxcar Concert Series, Seaboard Festival, Rockingham Dragway

Two bands will have double duty this weekend.

Richmond County native Erik Hawks returns home to perform in the final installment of Hamlet’s Boxcar Concert Series.

Joined by the Hard Luck Band, this will be Hawks’ third consecutive year closing out the series in the Seaboard City.

Hawks, who grew up in Roberdel, graduated from Richmond Senior High School in 2006. He was named Male Performer of the Year in the 2024 Carolina Country Music Awards. He had also been nominated for Songwriter of the Year and Single of the Year for his tune “End of My Rope.”

His set list generally features mostly country music covers and original tunes, including “Notebooks” and ”Tracing Your Tattoos.”

The Boxcar Concert Series has been running at Main Street Park since 2022 and coincides with Hamlet’s TGIFriday Food Trucks on the fourth Friday from April-October.

The show is free and runs from 6-8 p.m. Food trucks will serve until 7 p.m.

Hawks and the band will also be performing on the stage near the library Saturday afternoon during the Seaboard Festival.

Also on Friday:

• Jonathan Robinson will be performing a solo show at Hudson Brothers Deli in Rockingham, starting at 8 p.m.
• Vocalist Amber McSwain is putting on a free karaoke concert and artist convention at VFW Post 4203 in Rockingham, starting at 6 p.m. McSwain will be accepting donations to help cover costs for a singing competition.
• Whiskey River will be playing at Rockingham Dragway from 9 p.m.-midnight for the 34th annual Jim McClure All-Harley Top Fuel World Finals.

Before Hawks and the Hard Luck Band take the Main Street Stage on Saturday, there are several other acts: Cameronian Gospel Quartet; Hamlet Senior Center Line Dancers; Richmond Community College Chorus; and Good Company.

Following their performance, Good Company will be moving their gear to Rockingham Dragway to play from 9 p.m.-midnight.

Down at the Depot Stage, Bowtie Entertainment will be playing music before The Radio, a rockabilly band that has performed the past several years in the Boxcar series, entertains the crowd.The traditional Conductor's Call competition will follow the band at 1 p.m. Later musical acts scheduled for the Depot Stage are Trip Rogers and The Sand Band.

Between the two stages, in the Pee Dee Electric Kids Zone (across from City Hall), there will be demonstrations from the Triple Toe Cloggers, PKSA Karate, Bold Moves Dance Co. and Dance Sensations.

Singer/songwriter Phil Vassar returns to Cole Auditorium on Tuesday, Oct. 28.

Vassar, who is currently on his “25 Years of Paradise” tour, played a Christmas show with Kellie Pickler at the Cole in 2017.

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Tickets for that show are still available.