Summer means lots of things, but in Downtown Arlington, summer has come to mean free music five nights a week from Memorial Day weekend to July 3.

This year, the Levitt Pavilion is kicking off summer in a big way with the first Downtown Arlington Center Stage Music Festival - three days of fun, food and foot-stompin'free music May 25-27.

The festival begins Friday with native Texan Michael Martin Murphey, who is best known for hits like, Wildfire, Carolina in the Pines and What's Forever For. Murphey has also performed in films such as Lonesome Dove and Hard Country. Opening acts include Jason Eady at 5:30 p.m., followed by Hudson Moore.

Saturday marks the return of Texas legend, Ray Wylie Hubbard. Ray Wylie is a rock and roll bluesy poet known for penning one of country music's most popular bar anthems, Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother. Charlie Shafter opens the show at 4:30 p.m., followed by Maren Morris and John David Kent.

The holiday weekend concludes with the Grammy-winning kings of Texas swing, Asleep at the Wheel on Sunday. Leading up to the Wheel is Crystal Yates at 4:30 p.m., followed by Ghosts Along the Brazos and The Damn Quails.

The music festival is sponsored by Texas Power, Downtown Arlington Management Corporation, the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau, Union Pacific, J. Gilligan's and Coors Distributing of Fort Worth.

The Levitt's 2012 Summer Concert Series runs May 25 through July 3. For more information, visitwww.levittpavilionarlington.org.