The Connells are playing, and that’s all most music fans in North Carolina and Virginia need to know.

On June 6, the Raleigh-based septet (two guitars, bass, keyboard, trumpet, drums and lead vocalist) will rock the sand dunes as part of the four-day, 50th anniversary celebration of Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head.

Formed in 1984 by brothers Mike and David Connell, the group has released nine full-length albums and has worked with renowned producers such as Don Dixon and Mitch Easter. Their records have received airplay on MTV and both commercial and non-commercial radio stations.

Citing influences ranging from The Beatles to The Clash and The Cure, their music ranges from the REM-ish “’74-’75″ to the indie-rock classic “Fun and Games” and the driving Celtic-based gem “Scotty’s Lament.”

“We try to write three-to-four-minute melodic pop songs,” lead guitarist, vocalist and main songwriter Mike Connell said during a recent phone interview.

Long popular on the Outer Banks, the group played gigs at such legendary (now defunct) nightspots as Atlantis Beach Club, Kelly’s Restaurant and Tavern and Port O’Call Restaurant and Gaslight Saloon. But it’s been a while since The Connells performed in this little corner of world.

“We’re not trying to win over a new generation of fans,” Connell said with a laugh. “So, we’ll mostly play our well-known songs.”

The band’s 7 p.m. performance will be followed by the Outer Banks’ first-ever Sky Elements Drone Show.

The festival on the highest sand dune on the East Coast runs June 5-8.

Other free activities include a kite festival, ranger-led nature programs (some require registration), hang-gliding demonstrations, a sandcastle contest, sunrise yoga, a trivia game and a disc-golf tournament.

Another highlight should be the June 7 concert featuring Mojo Collins and Triple Vision, followed by a raising of the North Carolina flag, the national anthem sung by Betsy Robinson and a sunset toast. The concert starts at 6:30 p.m.

The Nags Head-based Collins is an award-winning singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who performed at the opening ceremony in 1975 when the 426-acre site on the Roanoke Sound officially became a state park. He will sing “Shining Star Over Jockey’s Ridge,” which he wrote for that occasion.

Tickets are required for The Connells concert and drone show. They’re free at jockeysridge50.com , which also has details on the festival. Jockey’s Ridge State Park is at 300 West Carolista Drive in Nags Head.