The Augusta Canal Moonlight Music Cruise series has expanded to two seasons this year.

"It has become very popular," said Rebecca Rogers, the director of marketing and external affairs for the Augusta Canal Heritage Area. "We began the moonlight music series in 2006 by offering a musical performance one Friday a month during the warm weather months.

"It caught on quickly, so the next year, last year, we expanded it to two Fridays a month. This year, we decided to do two seasons of the series."

The spring season will kick off Friday with a performance by singer-songwriter Galen Kipar, a former Augustan. The season is scheduled to run through June 27.

The fall season will run from Sept. 5 through Nov. 7.

Musicians will perform on the Petersburg boat as it moves along the Augusta Canal. Each cruise lasts about an hour and a half, Ms. Rogers said.

"We try to find a variety of genres of music to present on the cruises," she said. "We have an interesting mix in store for both seasons. We've brought back some old favorites and some new performers we haven't had before."

Some of the "old favorites" include: Eryn Eubanks and The Family Fold, Lillie Morris and Solstice, and Not Gaddy's IDrum2U.

New performers in the series include the Savannah River String Band, Galen Kipar and the Living Room Legends.

Seating is limited, and Ms. Rogers suggests that people make reservations for the performance they would like to attend.

For more information on the Augusta Canal Moonlight Music Cruise series, visit www.augustacanal.com.

Reach Nikasha Dicks at (706) 823-3336 or nikasha.dicks@augustachronicle.com.