Sunset Grill Serves Up Edinboro Summer

Nick Warren

Singer and guitarist Justin Moyar (middle) performs with son Gavin (left, drums) and violinist Louis Nicolia at the Sunset Grill in 2019.

Drive or bike or stroll or boat by it along the usually quiet Route 99 side of beautiful little Edinboro Lake on any/every given summer weekend evening — any/every given summer weeknight, too — and you'll see that the Sunset Grill almost always has what looks to be a packed-to-the-gills house and patio.

Even that old hack COVID couldn't really change that.

Sure, Sunset opened later than usual (over the Fourth of July weekend) last year, but that was because it was busy with preplanned further renovations. As the pandemic brought vast new limits to indoor seating regulations, "a lot of [bars and restaurants] were really struggling for patio seating," says Sunset co-owner Nick Russell, "but we're majority patio seating."

So "people felt safe and comfortable."

It's not just that Sunset served as an oasis during an existential dry spell.

They've been known for having a good menu to gather around, and a more-than-respectable revolving craft beer selection. And the atmosphere alone (totally laid-back but not dusty, perfectly situated for epic sunset views, and as close to the lake as you can get without being in it) is always worth the trip.

Doesn't hurt that the Sunset is also at Edinboro Lake Resort, where a bevy of tourists and townies' guests make cool, quaint, modern lakeside rental cabins their homes away from home throughout the summer. Hell, my wife and I have gotten away there ourselves, and our house is just down the road.

All that makes and keeps the Sunset a pretty inviting spot, no doubt.

But another big part of what makes the place cool is its extensive, season-long live music series, an elbow-deep run that brings an abundant cast of fine-skilled local and regional singer-songwriters and bands onto the little stage by the lake.

It's been going on there for years now, with a chock-full slate of live music to chill by and get down to. And as usual, with an act set up every Thursday through Sunday from now all the way through the beginning of October, this year's lineup is no exception.

Here's what's happening at the resort a little ways south of the city throughout June:

June 3 - Adam McKillip

June 4 - Fred Oakman

June 5 - Shameless Hex

June 6 - Justin Moyar

June 10 - Rankin and Schell

June 11 - The Highlife

June 12 - Tommy Link

June 13 - Josh Travis Band 

June 17 - Salmon Frank

June 18 - Seann P. Clark

June 19 - Fred Oakman and The Flood

June 20 - Dionisio/Colette Bone

June 24 - Jay Baumgardner

June 25 - Rachel Short

June 26- Tony Kellogg 

June 27 - Jesse Weston

July 1 - Tiger Maple Trio

July 2 - Fred Oakman

July 3 - Clever Norman

July 4 - Brooke Surgener

July 8 -  Dionisio/Colette Bone

July 9 - The Highlife

July 10 - Josh Travis Band

July 11 - Tommy Link

July 15 - TBA

July 16 - Tyler Smilo 

July 17 - Seann P. Clark

July 18 - Alyssa Hankey

July 22 - Salmon Frank

July 23 - Tony Kellogg

July 24 - Shameless Hex

July 25 - Jesse Weston

July 29 - Jay Baumgardner

July 30 - Rankin and Schell

Aug. 1 - Tiger Maple Trio

Aug. 5 - Rachel Short

Aug. 6 - Fred Oakman

Aug. 7 - Sunday at the Station

Aug. 8 - Dionisio/Colette Bone

Aug. 12 - Rankin and Schell

Aug. 13 - The Highlife

Aug. 14 - Tommy Link

Aug. 15 - Brooke Surgener 

Aug. 19 - Salmon Frank

Aug. 20 - Seann P. Clark

Aug. 21 - Tyler Smilo

Aug. 22 - Jesse Weston

Aug. 26 - Tony Kellogg

Aug. 27 - Josh Travis Band

Aug. 28 - TBA

Aug. 29 - Alyssa Hankey

Sept. 2 - Jay Baumgardner

Sept. 3 - Fred Oakman

Sept. 4 - Clever Norman

Sept. 5 - Josh Travis Band 

Sept. 9 - Tommy Link

Sept. 10 - The Highlife

Sept. 11 - Sunday at the Station

Sept. 12 - Brooke Surgener

Sept. 16 - Salmon Frank

Sept. 17 - Tiger Maple Trio

Sept. 18 - Shameless Hex

Sept. 19 - Rankin and Schell

Sept. 23 - Tony Kellogg

Sept. 24 - Justin Moyar

Sept. 25 - Brooke Surgener

Sept. 26 - Rachel Short

Sept. 30 - Jay Baumgardner

Oct. 1 - Fred Oakman

Oct. 2 - Adam McKillip

Oct. 3. - Dionisio/Colette Bone

To find out more about Sunset Grill's summer (and into-the autumn) music series — including what's happening next month and the full slate of performances each week through September and early October — visit edinborolakeresort.com, call 434.3307, or take a drive (or stroll, or bike, or boat) out to 12690 Edinboro Road.

Ryan Smith can be reached at rsmith@eriereader.com.