A ticket to a big music festival can eat up a paycheck quickly. Meanwhile, a weekend pass to Huntsville’s Panoply Arts Festival costs about the same as a meal, beverage and tip at a fast-casual restaurant these days. Twenty bucks. And a daily ticket’s just $15 and kids under 13 get in free all weekend.

Held in downtown’s lovely Big Spring Park, Panoply’s well-attended but not sardine-packed. There’s ample parking nearby.

Going to Panoply’s refreshingly stress free. It’s affordable easy local fun. And you can find something to enjoy there if you’re 9, 19, 29, 39, 49, 59, 69, 79 or 89.

The visual-arts-centric fest’s 42nd edition opened Friday night and runs 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and 11 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

In recent years, Panoply’s music lineup, which has long given Huntsville acts a big stage, narrowed its bookings from national/regional headliners to focus on top local acts.

Below are five must-hear artists performing this weekend, all on the festival’s Showcase Stage. That’s not to say there aren’t other artists worthy of your ears, eyes and time. Get there early and stay late to fully dig into Panoply 2024′s weekend music lineup.

1:15 p.m. Sunday

Victoria Jones’ feet are in Huntsville, but her talent’s world class. “Something’ bout,” Jones’ recent single, displays the 29-year-old singer/songwriter’s agile voice and tuneful restraint. If you love luxe R&B with heart – or even if you don’t – this is golden stuff.

3:30 p.m. Saturday

The 13,481 streams of The Band Silhouette’s song “Runaway” aren’t Taylor Swift numbers, but it’s still numbers many local bands can only dream of. The Auburn-founded group boasts Huntsville native Brenner Oakes features on guitar and vocals. “Seedlings,” The Band Silhouette’s debut album, goes down like a hard-seltzer flavored with ‘90s MTV alt-rock and Myspace-era indie.

10:15 a.m. Saturday

There are many shades of Treetop. R&B, blues, rock, reggae and psychedelia swirl within concise songs on his 2023 album “Shells & Leaves.” Treetop’s a solid stage name. But this Huntsville singer/guitarist’s real name, Nigel King-Law, is actually cooler.

3:45 p.m. Saturday

Huntsville songsmith Lana White’s on a roll. She’s dropped a string of well-made singles this year. Tracks like “You Got Me” and “Give Me All” evoke the ‘70s pop-folk of James Taylor and Carly Simon. White’s pop-rocker “Lie to Me” could slide right into a new Sheryl Crow album.

7:45 p.m. Saturday

There are artists that are a good fit for say a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday gig. Quantaphonics are a Saturday night band, through and through. A sprawling funk ensemble with multiple lead and backing vocalists, guitars, keys, horns — the whole pizza. As far as releasing music goes, Quantaphonics haven’t been Prince-level prolific since forming in 2018. But led by frontman Leon Jordan, this is the Huntsville band you want onstage when you need to throw down.

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