Party on the Sun Patio – Zac N’ Fried
Party on the Sun Patio – Zac N’ Fried brings the music of Zac Brown Band to Mohegan Sun on Friday, September 11, as the Connecticut-based tribute band takes over the outdoor Sun Patio for one of the final concerts of the 2026 summer series.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with Zac N’ Fried taking the stage at 8 p.m. Admission is free, and the party continues until 11 p.m. with food trucks, drinks and an open-air concert beneath the night sky.
The show is for guests 21 and older and is part of Mohegan Sun’s 14-week Party on the Sun Patio series, which has filled Friday nights throughout the summer with tribute bands covering everyone from Queen and Fleetwood Mac to Bruce Springsteen and Journey.
Zac N’ Fried Brings Zac Brown Band to Connecticut
Zac N’ Fried isn’t traveling far for this particular tribute.
The Newtown, Connecticut-based band was created by lead vocalist Randall John as a live tribute to Zac Brown Band, with an emphasis on recreating both the sound of the group’s recordings and the energy of its concerts.
John came to the project after more than two decades of performing for audiences with The Zoo, a Connecticut cover band with a history stretching back to the 1990s. When he assembled Zac N’ Fried, he selected a younger group of musicians to build a full-band tribute around Zac Brown Band’s mix of country, Southern rock and roots music.
It’s a deceptively demanding catalog to reproduce.
Zac Brown Band broke nationally with Chicken Fried, which reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in 2008. The group followed with songs including Toes, Highway 20 Ride, Free, Colder Weather, Knee Deep and Keep Me in Mind, establishing a sound that could move from radio country to acoustic harmonies and Southern rock without staying neatly inside one lane.
The real Zac Brown Band’s concerts push those boundaries even further, frequently incorporating rock covers, extended instrumental passages and influences far outside mainstream country.
That’s the experience Zac N’ Fried is built to recreate rather than simply playing a collection of Zac Brown songs.
The tribute has grown beyond its Connecticut home base, performing throughout New England, New York and farther down the East Coast. The band’s 2026 schedule has included appearances in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York, with performances ranging from breweries and waterfront venues to municipal concert series and larger stages.
The September 11 date also marks a return to Mohegan Sun for the group.
Meet Randall John
At the center of Zac N’ Fried is singer and band creator Randall John.
John spent more than 20 years performing in front of live audiences before assembling the Zac Brown Band tribute. His other major musical home has been The Zoo, a Connecticut party and cover band known for moving freely across rock, dance and popular music.
That experience matters in a tribute built around Zac Brown.
This isn’t a catalog where standing at a microphone and mimicking a handful of radio singles necessarily captures the original act. Zac Brown Band’s live reputation comes partly from musicianship, vocal harmonies and an ability to turn a country concert into something closer to a jam-oriented rock show.
Zac N’ Fried was assembled with that broader live experience in mind, with John handpicking the musicians around him rather than creating a solo-frontman tribute backed by interchangeable players.
The result is a Connecticut band paying tribute to one of modern country’s most successful live acts while approaching the material as a band itself.
Party on the Sun Patio
Zac N’ Fried arrives during the closing stretch of Mohegan Sun’s Party on the Sun Patio, a Friday-night summer tradition that returned in 2026 with 14 consecutive weeks of outdoor concerts.
The series began June 19 and runs through September 18, making Zac N’ Fried the second-to-last performance of the season. Beatlemania Again closes the series the following Friday.
The setup is closer to an outdoor summer party than a conventional theater concert.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., giving guests 90 minutes before the band begins at 8 p.m. The Sun Patio includes a bar, food trucks, standing and dancing areas and limited seating, with the concert taking place outside.
General admission is free.
Seating is first come, first served, and guests can bring their own chairs. Plastic Adirondack chairs are also available to rent at the Tiki Hut for $10.
Food Trucks and Drinks
Three food trucks are scheduled for Zac N’ Fried’s September 11 Party on the Sun Patio date: Twin Beaks Fried Chicken, Ta’ Deliciozo and Reel Catch.
Reel Catch is Mohegan Sun’s own seafood food truck, created around portable seafood dishes and fresh coastal flavors. The rotating truck lineup gives guests the option of having dinner at the Patio rather than leaving before the concert begins.
Drink specials are also offered during Party on the Sun Patio.
Outside food, beverages and coolers aren’t allowed, so guests planning to eat or drink during the show will need to purchase them on site.
Reserve a Fire Pit for the Show
General admission doesn’t require a ticket, but guests looking for reserved space can book one of the Sun Patio’s fire pits.
VIP Fire Pits cost $45 per person and include one alcoholic beverage per guest, cocktail service and a location with prime views of the stage. Each pit requires a minimum of six guests and accommodates up to eight. Only 10 VIP pits are available.
General Fire Pits cost $30 per person and also include one alcoholic beverage per guest and cocktail service. They have the same six-person minimum and eight-person maximum.
Fire pit reservations must be checked in by 8 p.m. to guarantee the reservation. After that point, the party is considered a no-show and its seating is no longer guaranteed.
Guests who reserve fire pits should also know that rental Adirondack chairs can’t be brought into the fire pit areas.
What Happens if It Rains?
Party on the Sun Patio doesn’t schedule rain dates.
If inclement weather prevents the outdoor event from taking place, Mohegan Sun says cancellations will be announced by 2 p.m. on the day of the event. When conditions require the show to move indoors, bands perform at the Wolf Den.
That makes the September date less vulnerable to becoming a completely lost night if late-summer weather refuses to cooperate.
Parking and What to Know Before You Go
The most convenient parking for the Sun Patio is available in the Indian Summer Garage and Riverview Parking Garage.
Guests must be at least 21 years old and present valid identification to enter. Seating is first come, first served, although personal chairs are permitted.
Coolers and outside food and beverages aren’t allowed.
For purchases at the Tiki Hut, including chair rentals and Party on the Sun Patio merchandise, accepted payment methods include credit cards, debit cards and Momentum Dollars.
With Zac N’ Fried scheduled for 8 p.m., arriving when doors open also gives guests time to find a spot, grab dinner from one of the food trucks and get settled before the Zac Brown Band catalog takes over the Patio.
Details
Event: Party on the Sun Patio – Zac N’ Fried
Date: Friday, September 11, 2026
Time: 6:30–11 p.m.
Doors: 6:30 p.m.
Band Starts: 8 p.m.
Performer: Zac N’ Fried
Music: Zac Brown Band tribute; country, Southern rock and roots music
Venue: Sun Patio at Mohegan Sun
Address: 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT 06382
Admission: Free
Age Requirement: 21+ with valid ID
Seating: First come, first served; guests may bring their own chairs
Chair Rentals: Plastic Adirondack chairs available for $10
Food Trucks: Twin Beaks Fried Chicken, Ta’ Deliciozo and Reel Catch
Outside Food & Drinks: Not permitted; coolers are also prohibited
VIP Fire Pits: $45 per person; includes one alcoholic beverage, cocktail service and prime stage views; 6-person minimum and 8-person maximum
General Fire Pits: $30 per person; includes one alcoholic beverage and cocktail service; 6-person minimum and 8-person maximum
Fire Pit Check-In: By 8 p.m. for guaranteed seating
Parking: Indian Summer Garage and Riverview Parking Garage are the most convenient options
Weather: No rain dates or makeup dates. Weather-related cancellations are announced by 2 p.m.; performances move to the Wolf Den when applicable
Series Finale: Party on the Sun Patio concludes September 18 with Beatlemania Again
Featured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people, location, or activities shown.