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, outdoors:
Bryant Park Picnic Performances
Bryant Park Picnic Performances presented by Bank of America will kick off in late May and run through September on The Lawn! All performances are free and open to the public, with no advanced tickets required. Plus, they will also be live streamed on Bryant Park’s social media and website if you can’t make it in person.
May 2025
- May 30: Electric Root: The Sound of (Black) Music
June 2025
- June 5: Contemporary Dance Limón Dance Company, EMERGE125, KAŌS Dance Collective
- June 6: Contemporary Dance: Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, Gibney Company, and SYREN Modern Dance
- June 13: Contemporary Dance: Doug Varone and Dancers + Kyle Marshall Choreography
- June 14: Jazzmobile: The Jimmy Heath Big Band
- June 20: Emerging Music Festival Day One
- June 21: Emerging Music Festival Day Two
- June 26: New York City Opera: Opera Goes to Hollywood
- June 27: New York City Opera: Opera Goes to Hollywood
July 2025
- July 3: New York Guitar Festival: Pedro Cortes Flamenco, Big Lazy, Marel Hidalgo
- :July 4: New York Guitar Festival: Louis Cato, Jackie Venson, Jontavious Willis
- July 11: Carnegie Hall Citywide: The Knights with Julien Labro
- July 18: Carnegie Hall Citywide: La Excelencia
- July 25: Carnegie Hall Citywide: Cécile McLorin Salvant
August 2025
- August 1: Carnegie Hall Citywide: Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band
- August 8: Carnegie Hall Citywide: Dez Duron
- August 15: World Music Institute: Sunny Jain’s Wild Wild East + Gamelan Dharma Swara
- August 16: New York City Circus Festival
- August 22: Belongó: Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra
- August 29: Accordions Around the World: Livia Mattos and more
- August 30: The Town Hall: New York Loves Sly! Featuring Steven Bernstein
September 2025
- September 4: New York City Opera: Carmen
- September 5: New York City Opera: Carmen
- September 12: American Symphony Orchestra: New York Profiles
SummerStage
The annual SummerStage lineup is back for the 2024 season, with a massive lineup of free performances coming to all five boroughs! While the event series’ largest stage resides in Central Park, there are plenty of other stages around NYC hosting free shows this summer. Check out some notable shows below, and the full list here:
June 2025
- June 4: Marcus Miller, Tank and the Bangas, and The Soul Rebels
- June 14: The Aussie BBQ with Flewnt and Inkabee, Gordi, Grace Cummings, and more
- June 14: Lettuce and Styles P (Coney Island Amphitheater)
- June 25: Rhiannon Giddens and Lido Pimienta
July 2025
- July 2: Charlotte Day Wilson and The Weather Station
- July 10: Big Freedia, Courtney “Balenciaga” Washington’s MasterZ, and DJ Golden (Herbert Von King Park)
- July 20: The Roots (Flushing Meadows Corona Park)
- July 23: Cymande, Asha Puthli, Zacchae’us Paul presents Jazz Money, and K.Tea
- July 24: Jessica Pratt, Cameron Winter, and Daryl Johns
- July 27: Femi Kuti & The Positive Force, dead prez, Rich Medina, and Maryam Bukar Hassan
August 2025
- August 10: The Originals ft. Rich Medina, Stretch Armstrong and Tony Touch
- August 17: Funk Flex R&B Birthday Picnic
September 2025:
- September 16: Soccer Mommy, Hurray for the Riff Raff, and Dummy
Backyard at Hudson Yards
Back by popular demand, Hudson Yards’ return of their free concert series on the Wells Fargo Stage will happen starting in June! The live outdoor concerts happen every Wednesday at 6 pm through August 7 in the Public Square & Gardens. Doors open at 5 pm. See the remaining lineup below:
June 2025
- June 25: Marc Scibilia
July 2025
- July 2: The Knocks
- July 9: Cian Ducrot
- July 16: Paul Russell
- July 23: Alex Sampson
- July 30: Brittney Spencer
August 2025
- August 6: mxmtoon
- August 13: TBA
Battery Park City River & Blues Festival
The long-celebrated NYC summer tradition River & Blues Concert Series is coming back this July.
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 select Thursdays in July, with doors at 7 pm and show at 8 pm! The shows are in Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City (enter at Chambers St. & River Terrace)
July 2025
- July 10: Maggie Rose
- July 17: Amythyst Kiah
- July 24: Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra led by Arturo O’Farrill
- July 31: Lady Blackbird
Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City
The annual “Summer for the City” event series is returning to Lincoln Center this summer, bringing over 200 free and fun events to NYC.
There will be plenty of things to do including silent discos under the giant disco ball, comedy and jazz at The Underground at Jaffe Drive, outdoor film screenings in Damrosch Park, and of course…free concerts! Check out some of our standouts below:
- Week-long series of events marking the 60th anniversary of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
- American Modern Opera Company makes its Lincoln Center debut with its Run AMOC* Festival with 10 NYC premieres
- Waitress: The Musical in American Sign Language by Deaf Broadway
- The BAAND Together Dance Festival
This is just a taste! You can see the full schedule on the Summer for the City website here.
TSQ Live
Over 80 public performances and events are coming to Times Square this summer, as TSQ Live kicks off a lineup of DJ sets, live music, and dance workshops. Check them out below and see full info here:
DJ Sets
- Tuesdays, 5 pm (May 6 – September 23)
- Broadway Pedestrian Plaza between 45th & 46th Streets
- May 6: Conrad Taylor
- May 13: Discrete
- May 20: Soul Summit
- May 27: Sol System / Milky Way Sound
- June 3: Turn The Tables NYC
- June 10: I AM CARIBBEING with Private Ryan
- June 17: OutNBad
- June 24: Luxx Noir London (RuPaul’s Drag Race) with Drag Performances from NYC Legends, Marti Cummings, Venus Mystique (2025 Miss Paradise), Lana Ja’Rae (RuPaul’s Drag Race), Mo’Riah, and Beaujangles
- July 1: Elsewhere with Dennis Free
- July 8 – September 23: TBA
Live Music with MTA Music Under New York
- Wednesdays, 5 pm (May 7 – September 24)
- Broadway Pedestrian Plaza between 43rd & 44th Streets
- Lineup TBA
Dance Workshops & Live Music
- Thursdays, 5 pm (May 8 – September 25)
- Broadway Pedestrian Plaza between 45th & 46th Streets
- May 8: DANCE with Ailey Extension, West African instructed by Maguette Camara
- May 15: DANCE with Ailey Extension, Mambo Workout instructed by Katherine Jimenez
- May 22: DANCE with Ailey Extension, Hip Hop instructed by TweetBoogie
- May 29: DANCE with Ailey Extension, Afro-Dance instructed by Judith McCarty
- June 5: LIVE MUSIC with the 2025 Neurodivergent Tour
- June 12: LIVE MUSIC with Carnegie Hall Citywide, Brass Queens
- July 3: LIVE MUSIC with Greg Banks
- July 10: LIVE MUSIC – TBA
- July 17: LIVE MUSIC with Gideon King & City Blog
- July 31: LIVE MUSIC with Sam Greenfield
- August 7: LIVE MUSIC with Jazz at Lincoln Center
- August 14: LIVE MUSIC with Jazz at Lincoln Center
- August 21: LIVE MUSIC with Jazz at Lincoln Center
- August 28: LIVE MUSIC with Jazz at Lincoln Center
- September 4: LIVE MUSIC with Jazz at Lincoln Center
- September 11: LIVE MUSIC with Jazz at Lincoln Center
- September 18: LIVE MUSIC with Jazz at Lincoln Center
- September 25: LIVE MUSIC with Jazz at Lincoln Center
Summer Friday Concerts
- Fridays, 6 pm
- Broadway Pedestrian Plaza between 45th & 46th Streets
- May 9: Adam Melchor
- May 16: SUM SUN
- May 30: Kids That Fly, also featuring Belle Blue
- June 6: TBA
- June 13: TBA
- July 11: Bermuda Search Party
- July 23: September 26: TBA
Hudson River Park
Hudson River Park’s annual programming features four different types of musical events, spanning from jazz to blues music.
Riverfront Rhythms (every Monday, July 7 – August 11)
Broadway By The Boardwalk brings the excitement of top-notch Broadway talent performing a mix of original music, personal favorites and Broadway staples for free.
Jazz at Pier 84 (every Wednesday, June 11 – August 13)
The crowd-favorite series returns with star-studded musicians bringing smooth tunes to the Park at sunset.
Boardwalk Blues (every Tuesday, July 29 – August 19)
Enjoy blues and roots musicians from around the region performing dazzling sunset concerts at Pier 97.
Blues BBQ Festival (August 16, 2025)
Head to the fan-favorite Blues BBQ Festival for its 25th year and enjoy beer, BBQ, and blues. The lineup has not yet been announced, but in the past has featured artists such as Jackie Venson, Dwayne Dopsie, and Walter Wolfman Washington.
You can find out more specifics on their website here.
Carnegie Hall Citywide
Carnegie Hall’s annual free concert series, Carnegie Hall Citywide Series, returns this year with electrifying performances at various venues throughout the city. The series features artists of all genres—classical, jazz, Latin music, and beyond.
June 2025
- June 5: BaroQUEER: Historically Informed at Judson Memorial Church
- June 12: Brass Queens at Times Square
- June 26: Endea Owens and The Cookout at Wave Hill
July 2025
- July 9: Toomai String Quintet at Madison Square Park
- July 11: The Knights with Julien Labro at Bryant Park
- July 12: Son Del Monte at Al Quiñones Playground
- July 16: Ziggy and Miles at Madison Square Park
- July 18: La Excelencia at Bryant Park
- July 23: Catalyst Quartet at Madison Square Park
- July 25: Cécile McLorin Salvant at Bryant Park
- July 26: Symphonic Brass Alliance at Historic Richmond Town
August 2025
- August 1: Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band at Bryant Park
- August 8: Dez Duron at Bryant Park
DUMBO’s Live at the Archway Series
The DUMBO Improvement District’s annual Live at the Archway series returns this summer, set beneath the iconic setting of the Manhattan Bridge Archway on Thursdays at 6 pm from June 12 – July 31, 2025.
The series will also showcase visual art exhibits too, with each week welcoming a work from a Dumbo-based visual artist featured on the Art Wall! For each performance, beer, wine & cocktails will be for sale from The Archway Bar.
June 2025
- June 12: T Marie & Bayou Juju, opening by Fogo Azul, art wall by Samantha Dion Baker
- June 19: Cleo Reed, art wall by Billie Elise
- June 26: TBA, opening by Ruby hoops, art wall by April Hannah
July 2025
- July 10: Brasil Summerfest presents Os Clavelitos, art wall by 20×200 in collaboration with Joan LeMay
- July 17: Kaleta and the Super Yamba Band, art wall by Cara Lee Sparry
- July 24: Sug Daniels, art wall by Jenn MackSoud
- July 31: Chicha Libre, art wall by Chelsea Bonosky
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!
New York City’s longest-running, free, outdoor performing arts festival is returning to the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park this summer, and the lineup is officially out! Check out the remaining calendar below:
June 2025
- June 7: BAYO in Brooklyn: A Conversation with Michaël Brun at BRIC House
- June 9: Opening Benefit Concert: Blue Note Jazz Festival & Live Nation Present Grace Jones & Janelle Monáe
- June 13: Opening Free Concert: Mélissa Laveaux | Nathalie ‘TALIE’ Cerin | Riva Nyri Précil
- June 14: Family Day: Pippi Longstocking’s 80th Birthday Celebration with the Klezmatics!
- June 19: BRIC Celebration Brooklyn’s 3rd Annual Juneteenth in the Park
- June 20: Habibi Festival at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!
- June 26: Buscabulla | Chuwi | Paso Negro
- June 27: A Tribute to Quincy Jones: The Greatest Night in Pop
July 2025
- July 12: Benefit Concert: Still Woozy – Loveseat Tour
- July 17: Benefit Concert: Dinosaur Jr. + Snail Mail with special guest Easy Action
- July 18: Benefit Concert: Men I Trust | strongboi
- July 19: BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! at Brower Park
- July 26: A Tribute to Quincy Jones: The Wiz
August 2025
- August 1: Mireya Ramos and the Poor Choices | Talibah Safiya | Morley
- August 2: Gogol Bordello | Puzzled Panther | Pons
- August 7: Emily Johnson / Catalyst
- August 8: Adrian Quesada | Trish Toledo
- August 9: LYRICIST LOUNGE Anniversary Show
- August 15: William Parker | NIKARA presents Black Wall Street
- August 16: Closing Night: Nick Hakim | Karriem Riggins (DJ set)
Sounds at Sunset at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park is getting a series of free concerts that take place on Friday evenings across the summer season at Pier 3 Plaza! Check out the lineup below:
June 2025
- June 13 – Freelance (6 – 9 pm)
July 2025
- July 11 – Revive Big Band Show (6 – 9 pm)
- July 25 – Brooklyn Americana (6 – 9 pm)
August 2025
- August 8 – Reinaldo De Jesus Band (6 – 9 pm)
Learn more about the Sounds at Sunset Series here!