Thanks to all of our fantastic Parks, New Yorkers have plenty of choices for where to spend time outdoors during the warm weather months. And besides enjoying picnics, games or just lounging, you can also hear some incredible music performances in NYC 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 have recently been announced that we had to put them all in one, easy-to-read spot so you can start planning out your summer.
Here are all of the free concerts coming to NYC this summer (so far!), outdoors:
1. Bryant Park, “Picnic Performances”
Happening on various dates on the Great Lawn through September 14 beginning at 7 pm!
June
- June 30 – Jalopy Theatre: Michael Daves Quartet ft. Tony Trischka, Yacouba Sissoko, Terrell King – 7pm
July
- July 07 – Carnegie Hall Citywide: Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra – 7pm
- July 14 – Carnegie Hall Citywide: Tessa Lark + Michael Thurber – 7pm
- July 21 – Carnegie Hall Citywide: Magos Herrera featuring The Knights – 7pm
- July 28 – Carnegie Hall Citywide: Champe-Soukous Collective – 7pm
August
- August 03 – Ailey Moves NYC: Ailey II – 7pm
- August 04 – Carnegie Hall Citywide: Ndlovu Youth Choir – 7pm
- August 18 – New York City Opera: The Barber of Seville – 7pm
- August 19 – New York City Opera: Alessandro Lora in Concert – 7pm
- August 25 – Accordions Around the World: Diana Burco, Suistamon Sähkö, Ragini Ensemble – 7pm
- August 26 – Roulette Intermedium: 75 Dollar Bill, Ka Baird, Additional Artist TBA – 7pm
September
- September 01 – Classical Theatre of Harlem: Langston in Harlem – 7pm
- September 07 – American Symphony Orchestra: American Expressions – 7pm
- September 08 – New York City Opera: Romeo and Juliet – 7pm
- September 09 – Drom: Gaye Su Akyol (U.S. Debut) – 7pm
- September 14 – Harlem Stage: 40th Anniversary Celebration – 7pm
See more info on their website here.
2. 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 on the Hudson
A free series featuring both established and emerging NYC artists across a broad range of genres. Enjoy this music at 7 p.m. at Pier 45 (West Village) on the following days:
- Every Friday (Through September 1)
Jazz at Pier 84
Listen to smooth tunes in partnership with the Jazz Foundation of America. Catch the show at 7 p.m. at Pier 84 (Hell’s Kitchen) on the following dates:
- Every Wednesday (Through August 30)
Blues BBQ Festival, Pier 76 at W 34 St.
Head to the fan-favorite Blues BBQ Festival for beer, BBQ, and blues music. The lineup features artists such as Jackie Venson, Dwayne Dopsie, and Walter Wolfman Washington.
- August 19 / 1 pm / Pier 76
You can find out more specifics on their website here.
3. Hudson Yards, “Backyard at Hudson Yards”
Hudson Yards’ return of their free concert series on the Wells Fargo Stage is back! The live outdoor concerts happen every Wednesday at 6 pm, through August 9th in the Public Square & Gardens. Doors open at 5pm. See the lineup below:
- June 28 – Thuy
- July 5 – DOMi & JD BECK
- July 12 – Vagabon
- July 19 – flor
- July 26 – Gabriel Garzón-Montano
- August 2 – The 502s
- August 9 – Alexander 23
4. Lincoln Center, “Summer for the City”
- Big Umbrella Day: An all-day event with relaxed spaces, specifically welcoming neurodivergent audiences through multi-sensory experiences, performances, and workshops. Saturday, July 1, 11 am – Full Campus
- Queens of Soca: An evening featuring soca royalty Alison Hinds and Nailah Blackman in their first appearance together on stage in NYC! Sunday, July 2, 8:00 pm – Damrosch Park
- Yerin Baek: South Korean singer-songwriter Yerin Baek delivers a night to remember, enthralling audiences with her ethereal vocal stylings! Thursday, July 20, 7:30 pm – Damrosch Park
This is just a taste! You can see the full schedule on the Summer for the City website here.
5. SummerStage
June
- June 28 –Michael Franti and Spearhead, Tank and the Bangas
- June 30 – THE METROPOLITAN OPERA SUMMER RECITAL FEATURING ERIKA BAIKOFF, THOMAS GLASS, CIERRA BYRD, JUAN JOSÉ LÁZARO
July
- July 1 – Andy Shauf, Leith Ross, Yves Jarvis
- July 2 – Marisa Monte, Joana Amendoeira & Fred Martins, Music from the Sole, DJ Lara Gerin
- July 8 – Catalan Sounds On Tour: Queralt Lahoz, Marala, Lia Kali, DJ set by DJ Trapella
- July 9 – Tuff Gong Takeover feat. Skip Marley and Friends: Sarkodie, Bobby Konders, and Soca special guest (Coney Island)
- July 12 – Juanes, Conexion Divina
- July 13 – Bastille Day: Joachim Garraud & Marie Berson, Passi, Bénabar, Adèle Castillon
- July 13 – Works & Process at SummerStage: The Masterz at Work Dance Family with Courtney Washington (Von King Park)
- July 14 – Nick Hakim, June McDoom, Evan Wright (Von King Park)
- July 15 – RUENO, Villano Antillano, Dawer x Damper, KEXP’s El Sonido with Albina Cabrera ft. Camola DJ set
- July 15 – MIKE’S Young World III: Noname, Jay Critch, Georgia Anne Muldrow, MAVI, 454, AKAI SOLO, DJ ELISE (Von King Park)
August
- August 6 – Brent Faiyaz
- August 13 – Funk Flex & Friends Birthday Concert Featuring Raheem DeVaughn, Rob Base & More
This is just a taste! You can see the full schedule on the SummerStage website here.
6. BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!
July
- July 1 – Ibrahim Maalouf | Hermanos Gutiérrez | Little Moon
- July 8 – Kelela | Liv.e
- July 13 – Rennie Harris | Decora
- July 14 – Oumou Sangare | Vox Sambou
- July 15 – Marcia Griffiths | Brown Rice Family | Dj Miss Hap Selam
- July 21 – The Chelsea Symphony feat. Lady Jess | Lucrecia Dalt
- July 22 – Ali Sethi | Raja Kumari | Roshni Samlal
- July 27 – The Wallflowers | treya lam
- July 29 – Rickie Lee Jones | Thornetta Davis | Chris Pierce
August
- Aug 3 – Jorge Drexler | Cimafunk | Julieta Rada
- Aug 4 – Indigo De Souza | Vundabar
- Aug 10 – Benefit Concert: The Revivalists and Band of Horses
- Aug 11 & Aug 12 – BRIC Hip-Hop 50th Anniversary Weekend
- Aug 18 – iLe | Divino Niño | Sara Curruchich
- Aug 19 – John Cale | Tomberlin
- Aug 22 & Aug 23 – Benefit Concert: Alex G and Alvvays
- Aug 24 – Closing Night: The Head And The Heart | Izzy Heltai
Learn more on BRIC’s website.
7. Battery Park City River & Blues Festival
The long-celebrated NYC summer tradition “River & Blues Concert Series” is coming back this July to an all new location of Rockefeller Park. With breathtaking views of Hudson River sunsets as a backdrop this, refreshing waterfront breezes spot will welcome the very best of Global and American folk, roots and blues music. Shows are every Thursday in July with doors at 6 pm and show at 7 pm! See lineup below.
- July 6 – The Dip
- July 13 – Lee Fields
- July 20 – Tamikrest
- July 27 – Allison Russell
Where: Rockefeller Park, Battery Park City (Enter at Chambers St. & River Terrace)
8. Carnegie Concert Series in Madison Square Park
Part of the Carnegie Hall Citywide Series, free string quartet performances will be held on Wednesday’s on Madison Square Park’s Oval Lawn at 6p.m. Selections are inspired by Sheila Pepe’s My Neighbor’s Garden.
The schedule is as follows:
- Wednesday, July 12: Grammy and internationally award-winning Aizuri Quarte
- Wednesday, July 19: NYC-based and award-winning ensemble Aeolus Quartet
- Wednesday, July 26:Grammy and internationally award-winning Aizuri Quarte
9. New York Philharmonic, “Concert in the Parks” (PAST)
- Tuesday, June 13 at 8:00 p.m.: Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx. Enter the park from Broadway, near West 251st Street. Concert site is north of the baseball fields.
- Wednesday, June 14 at 8:00 p.m.: Central Park, Great Lawn, Manhattan. Great Lawn, Central Park, Manhattan. Westside entrances: West 81st or 86th Streets at Central Park West. Eastside entrances: East 79th or 85th Streets at Fifth Avenue
- Thursday, June 15 at 8:00 p.m.: Cunningham Park, Queens. Enter at 193rd Street, near 81st Avenue or Union Turnpike. Concert site is at 193rd Street Field.
- Friday, June 16 at 8:00 p.m.: 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 18 at 4:00 p.m.: St. George Theatre, Staten Island
10. Brooklyn Bridge Park (PAST)
Brooklyn Americana Music Festival
This music event is an all-day family-friendly event of free live music that includes country, folk, blues, jazz, and more, while celebrating LGBTQ+ and BIPOC artists. This event will take place the weekend of Saturday, June 24 from 3 p.m. – 10 p.m. at Pier 6 Liberty Lawn.
Sounds at Sunset
For Brooklyn Bridge Park’s 2023 Sounds at Sunset series enjoy music from an exciting and eclectic lineup.
11. For the Love: 50 Years of Hip-Hop
SiriusXM and Pandora have partnered up to present For the Love: 50 Years of Hip-Hop, an all-day music festival celebrating hip-hop’s 50th anniversary and legacy as a cultural phenomenon. And the festival includes a with a live performance from New York legends, Wu-Tang Clan! Learn more about it here.
- Thursday, August 10: Knockdown Center, 8 p.m.