Summer Concert Series Returns to Yadkin Valley: The Castaways at Blackmon Amphitheatre

Music and wine have a way of finding each other out here. This summer they're landing on the same evening. As announced on Eventbrite, The Castaways will perform live at Blackmon Amphitheatre on Friday, June 12, 2026, as part of the Surry Arts Council's Summer Concert Series.

Wine Before the Show

If you're making the drive to Dobson, don't just show up for the music. Surry Cellars is just minutes from the amphitheatre and worth building your afternoon around. It's not your typical tasting room setup. Surry Cellars operates out of the NC Viticulture Center, which means the wines you're tasting were made as part of real educational programs. There's something genuinely interesting about that context when you're standing in front of a glass.

The setting gives you views of a working educational vineyard and rolling Piedmont countryside. It's a quieter, more laid-back stop than some of the bigger operations in the valley, and I mean that as a compliment. First-timers especially tend to appreciate the pace.

What You'll Find in the Glass

Surry Cellars keeps a range going, from dry reds and whites to sweeter options and fruit wines. Muscadine and Seyval Blanc are both worth trying if you want something distinctly regional. The winery is also picnic-friendly, which lines up nicely if you want to grab a bottle and some food before the concert.

One note: I'm leaving out the specific pricing and award claims from the original draft because the source didn't confirm those details. What I can tell you is that Surry Cellars is worth the stop on its own merits, and pairing it with a concert night makes for an easy, well-rounded evening.

Timing Your Evening

Surry Cellars runs Friday hours from 10am to 5pm based on what's been reported, so you've got a real window to come in early, take your time, and still make it to Blackmon without rushing. Dobson is a small town and the logistics are simple. That's one of the things I like about building itineraries around places like this. There's no traffic problem to solve.

Blackmon Amphitheatre itself is an intimate outdoor venue. A summer Friday night there, with the Piedmont settling into evening, is a good place to be. Whether you've followed The Castaways for years or you're just looking for a reason to get outside and hear some live music, this is the kind of low-pressure evening that's easy to say yes to.

The Bigger Picture

What events like this show me is that Yadkin Valley is building something beyond wineries alone. The Surry Arts Council has been consistent about bringing real performers to the area, and that matters for how people think about the region as a destination. When you can anchor a weekend around a concert, add a wine stop, throw in a scenic drive on the back roads, and never feel like you're patching things together, that's when a place starts to click for visitors.

If you're coming from out of town, this concert is a natural anchor for a Friday evening. Build the day around it and you'll have plenty to work with.

Plan Your Evening

If you want help putting the full day together, head to ValleySomm's trip planner. Tell it what you're working with and it'll map out the route, flag nearby wineries, and take the guesswork out of the afternoon. Good wine, good music, good evening. That's the goal.