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:
Bryant Park, “Picnic Performances”
Various dates May 27 – September 7 beginning at 7 p.m., the Lawn
May/June
- June 10: Contemporary Dance: EMERGE125 and Ayodele Casel
- June 11: Contemporary Dance: Ballet Hispánico’s Social Latin Dance Class and Music From the Sole
- June 17: New York City Opera: Pride in the Park
- June 24: Emerging Music Festival curated by Ad Hoc
- June 25: Emerging Music Festival curated 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 TBA
- July 29: Carnegie Hall Citywide: Artist TBA
August
- August 5: Artist TBA
- August 12: New York City Opera: La traviata
- August 19: Asian American Arts Alliance: Rafiq Bhatia and Ian Chang
- August 26: Habibi Festival with Joe’s Pub: Esraa Warda, Firas Zreik, Yacine Boularès, and AJOYO
- August 29: The Town 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: Classical Theatre of Harlem
- September 16: Accordion Festival: Heart of Afghanistan and More
- September 17: American Symphony Orchestra
See more info 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 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 (beginning June 3 – August 26)
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:
- 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, BBQ, and blues music. The lineup features artists such as Jackie Venson, Dwayne Dopsie, and Walter Wolfman Washington.
- August 13 / 1 p.m. / Pier 76
You can find out more specifics 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. Concert site is north of the baseball fields.
- Wednesday, June 15 at 8:00 p.m.: Central Park, Great Lawn, Manhattan. Westside entrances: West 81st or 86th Streets at Central Park West. Eastside 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. Concert site is at 193rd Street Field.
- Friday, June 17 at 8:00 p.m.: Long Meadow Ballfields, 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 Theatre, Staten Island.
Be sure to stick around after each outdoor show for the fireworks that end-cap each performance in a truly spectacular fashion!
Hudson Yards, “Backyard at Hudson Yards”
Wednesdays at 6 p.m., June 1 – Aug. 3, in the Public Square & Gardens
- June 8: lovelytheband
- June 15: Colt Ford
- June 22: Kiesza
- July 13: Arlissa
- July 20: Sasha Rome / Daya
- July 27: MICHELLE
- August 3: Michael Brun
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Americana Music Festival
This two-day music event is filled with performances by 30 women-identified Brooklyn and NYC Americana musicians. They’ll perform original and traditional songs on fiddle, banjo, mandolin, upright bass, ukulele, and more across a range of genres including Country, Folk, Blues, Old Time, Bluegrass, and Jazz. This event will take place the weekend of Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26 from 3p.m. – 7p.m. at Pier 6 Liberty Lawn.
Sounds at Sunset
For Brooklyn Bridge Park’s 2022 Sounds at Sunset series enjoy music from an exciting and eclectic lineup, where four different music ensembles and acts guide you through genres of folk, jazz, classical, experimental, and luscious spaces in between. Each night at the verdant Pier 3 Greenway Terrace, some of NYC’s finest musical talents share their vision of the present and future in music. Concerts take place on Thursdays at 6 p.m.
- May 19 – Miriam Elhajli
- May 26 – NOMON
- June 9 -American Symphony Orchestra Ensembles: Italian Expressiveness and Expressionists
- June 16 – Adam O’Farrill’s Stranger Days
Lincoln Center, “Summer for the City”
- An Orchestral Tribute to The Notorious B.I.G.: Friday, June 10 at 7:30 p.m.
- Second Line and Performance Pretty for the People featuring Bruce Harris: Saturday, June 11. Processional starts at 4:30 pm at Columbus Circle and travels north on Broadway to Lincoln Center. A 45-minute performance at Lincoln Center begins at 5 p.m. Join anywhere along the route!
- Miriam Cruz: Saturday, June 11 at. 7 p.m.
- Jazz Underground: Sunday, June 12 at 6 p.m.
- ADG7: Korean Shamanic Folk-Pop: Wednesday, June 15 at 7 p.m.
This is just a taste! You can see the full schedule on the Summer for the City website here.
Washington Square Park
Blue Note Jazz Festival
Washington Square Park is teaming up with Blue Note to celebrate the ten year tradition of music in the park with the 11th Annual Jazz Festival. The festival will be held at Arch Plaza in WSP on June 1 from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. It will feature Grammy-award-winning jazz pianist Robert Glasper, as well as other great talented artists.
Little Island
Wednesdays: 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Enjoy a mid-week break with performances from singer-songwriters in The Glade.
Fridays: 9:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Enjoy a Friday night out(side) with trivia, drag Bingo, cabaret, piano sing-a-longs and more in The Play Ground.
Saturdays: 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday nights will be centered around popular music and the American songbook.
Second Annual Music and Dance Festival: Wednesday, July 20 through Sunday, July 31
Each day will feature multiple free performances throughout the park and be anchored by nightly ticketed performances in The Amph.
Island Music Week: Wednesday, August 17 – 24
The week-long event will culminate with Little Island and the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance co-presenting the Grammy Award Winner Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra: The Cuban Khaleeji Project on Friday, August 19 through Sunday, August 21 for three performances that will transport you to faraway coasts with sounds and rhythms from artists of Afro Latin and Middle Eastern seafaring traditions.
See more here.Madison Square Park
Music on the Green: 6-7:30 p.m.
Hear Grammy Award-Winning Attacca Quartet perform an instrumental concert inspired by artist Cristina Iglesias’ Landscape and Memory exhibition (the Park’s outdoor art exhibit) on the Oval Lawn.
- July 13
- July 20
- July 27
Sunset Wednesdays at Wave Hill
Sunset Wednesdays, a well-loved series of evening concerts outdoors at Wave Hill, is returning this year. Head to Wave Hill as the sun sets over the Hudson River for a beautiful night of music. Begins July 13.
- July 13: Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble / 7p.m. – 8p.m.
- July 20: Gina D’Soto/ 7p.m. – 8p.m.
- July 27: The Brass Queens/ 7p.m. – 8p.m.
- August 3: Stringwise Duo/ 7p.m. – 8p.m.
Hudson River Park Pop-Up Mirage Series
For the first time ever, Hudson River Park is hosting a series of surprise pop-up music and dance performances for park goers to enjoy!
- June 29: Better Fires – Pier 64 Rock Garden at W 24 St.
- July 13: Brooklyn United Marching Band – Pier 81 at W 40 St.
- July 27: Ariel Rivka Dance – Clinton Cove at W 55 St.
- August 10: Aviva Jaye – Pier 26 at N Moore St.
- August 24: Fogo Azul – Pier 84 at W 44 St.
River & Blues — Battery Park City
For over 20 years, the River & Blues series has brought together blues-lovers for an evening of live, soulful music as dusk sets in over the New York Harbor. Learn more here.
This series will happen every Thursday in July at Wagner Park in Battery Park City.
- July 7: Nicole Atkins/ 7p.m.
- July 14: Eljuri & Cha Wa / 6:30p.m. & 7:30p.m.
- July 21: Lady Wray / 7p.m.
- July 28: Maggie Rose & Cedric Burnside / 6:30p.m. & 7:30p.m.
Bonus: Midtown’s newest food hall, The Hugh, is hosting Jazz Nights throughout the summer. Catch them 5-8 p.m. on:
- Thursday, June 16
- Wednesday, June 22
- Thursday, June 23
- Wednesday, June 29
- Thursday, June 30