Summer hasn’t even arrived yet and the lineup of free outdoor concerts in New York City is already epic.
With all of our fantastic parks, New Yorkers are spoiled for choice when it comes to where to spend time outdoors during the warmer months. And in addition to enjoying picnics, games, or just lounging around, you can also hear amazing musical performances in New York City parks this summer, and all for free.
Many cultural institutions partner with local parks to bring musical sounds to the public when the weather warms up, and so many more have recently been announced that we had to put them all in place. an easy to read place so you can start planning your summer.
Here are all the free concerts coming to New York this summer (so far!), Outdoors:
Bryant Park, “Picnic Performances”
Various dates from May 27 to September 7 from 7 p.m., the lawn
May June
- May 27: New York City Opera: The Barber of Seville
- June 3: Contemporary Dance: Performers to be determined
- June 4: Contemporary dance: Ariel Rivka Dance and Works & Process at The Missing Element at the Guggenheim
- June 10: Contemporary dance: EMERGE125 and Ayodele Casel
- June 11: Contemporary dance: Latin social dance class with the Ballet Hispánico and Music of the sole
- June 17: New York City Opera: Pride in the Park
- June 24: Emerging Music Festival organized by Ad Hoc
- June 25: Emerging Music Festival organized by Ad Hoc
July
- July 1: Carnegie Hall Citywide: Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble
- July 8: Carnegie Hall Citywide: The Baylor Project
- July 15: Carnegie Hall Citywide: Squirrel Nut Zippers
- July 22: Carnegie Hall Citywide: The Broadway Sinfonietta
- July 23: Jazzmobile: Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band
- July 28: artist to be determined
- July 29: Carnegie Hall Citywide: Artist TBA
August
- August 5: artist to be determined
- August 12: New York Opera: La traviata
- August 19: Asian American Arts Alliance: Rafiq Bhatia and Ian Chang
- August 26: Habibi Festival with Joe’s Pub: Ezra Warda, Firas Zreik, Yacine Boularès and AJOYO
- August 29: City Hall: Eighth Blackbird Celebrates John Cage
September
- September 2: New York City Opera: Lucia di Lammermoor
- September 8: Steinway artists Aaron Diehl and Orrin Evans
- September 9: Harlem Classic Theater
- September 16: Accordion Festival: Heart of Afghanistan and more
- September 17: American Symphony Orchestra
See more information on their website here.
Hudson River Park
This season, three different types of musical events will be offered: Sunset on the Hudson, Jazz at Pier 84 and the Blues BBQ Festival.
Sunset over the Hudson
A free series featuring established and emerging New York artists across a wide range of genres. Enjoy this music at 7 p.m. at Pier 45 (West Village) the next days :
- Every Friday (June 3 to August 26)
Jazz at Pier 84
Listen to soft music in partnership with the Jazz Foundation of America. Watch the show at 7 p.m. at Pier 84 (Hell’s Kitchen) on the following dates:
- June 8
- June 22
- July 6
- July 20
- August 3
- August 17
- August 31
Blues BBQ Festival, Pier 76 at W 34 St.
Head to the fan-favorite Blues BBQ festival for beer, barbecue and blues music. The lineup includes artists such as Jackie Venson, Dwayne Dopsie and Walter Wolfman Washington.
- August 13 / 1 p.m. / Pier 76
You can find more details on their website here.
New York Philharmonic, “Concert in the Parks”
- Tuesday, June 14 at 8:00 p.m.: Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx. Enter the park from Broadway near West 251st Street. The concert site is north of the baseball diamonds.
- Wednesday June 15 at 8:00 p.m.: Central Park, Great Lawn, Manhattan. West side entrances: West 81st or 86th Streets at Central Park West. East side entrances: East 79th or 85th Streets at Fifth Avenue
- Thursday, June 16 at 8:00 p.m..: Cunningham Park, Queens. Enter at 193rd Street near 81st Avenue or Union Turnpike. The concert site is at 193rd Street Field.
- Friday, June 17 at 8:00 p.m.: Long Meadow Ballparks, Prospect Park, Brooklyn. Enter at Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Park West at 9th Street or Bartel-Pritchard Circle at the intersection of Prospect Park West, Prospect Park Southwest and 15th Street.
- Sunday, June 19 at 4:00 p.m.: St. George’s Theatre, Staten Island.
Be sure to stick around after each outdoor show for the fireworks display that closes each performance in a truly spectacular way!
Hudson Yards, “Back Yards at Hudson Yards”
Wednesdays at 6 p.m., from June 1 to August 3, in the public square and gardens
Stay tuned for the full list of artists to be announced shortly.
Of course, we expect places like Little Island and Madison Square Park to host events again, so this list will be updated as more free concerts in New York are announced!