If you love seeing music that is outdoors and free, you’re in luck: New York City offers that opportunity—in abundance—every summer. Celebrate Brooklyn and SummerStage may be the best-known examples, but there are all manner of concert series, as well as festivals and one-offs, that bring musical acts to outdoor venues across the five boroughs. (Worthy ticketed outdoor shows, including the weekend-long Governors Ball at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Grace Jones and Janelle Monae in Prospect Park, Drive-By Truckers at the Rooftop at Pier 17 and Leon Bridges at Forest Hills Stadium, take place as well.)
Each year is different but consistent, with a mix of big names, up-and-comers and those with cult followings ready to put on a show in a scenic setting. Rhiannon Giddens, Suzan-Lori Parks, Gogol Bordello and The Roots are just a few acts you can see this season; fans of jazz, theater, opera, soca, hip-hop, good old-fashioned rock and pretty much every other musical genre around are catered to. Read below for some free summer music highlights, and start planning your next open-air, tune-filled good time.
Note: Where relevant, we’ve indicated the concert series that the select show is a part of; click through to see the full lineups for those extended events.
Punk Island
June 8, Randall’s Island, Manhattan
The punk music scene, which originated in New York City back in the 1970s, is still going strong as evidenced by Punk Island, a daylong annual festival that’s run for almost two decades. Want to find out what local bands like Nihiloceros and Dog Date (with their two-drummer attack) sound like? Here’s your chance.
Met Opera Recital Series
June 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, various locations
Each summer the Met Opera performs concerts in parks across the boroughs. A mix of established singers and up-and-comers take part in the shows, which take place in Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Jackie Robinson Park, the Williamsbridge Oval, Socrates Sculpture Park and Staten Island’s Stapleton Waterfront.
Tasha. Photo: Alexa Viscius
Emerging Music Festival
June 20–21, Bryant Park, Midtown, Manhattan
Catch young bands before they’ve made it big at Bryant Park’s two-day celebration. Acts performing include Tasha, Why Bonnie, Marem Ladson, Disiniblud and others still to be announced; previous iterations have featured such ascendant artists as Madison McFerrin. Bryant Park Picnic Performances
I Am the Band
June 22, Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center, Upper West Side, Manhattan
The contributions of women in all music genres will take center stage at this performance. The band will include Wendy and Lisa from Prince & the Revolution, fiddler Scarlet Rivera, who provided much of the texture on Bob Dylan’s Desire album, and many more, while vocalists such as Bridget Everett will reinterpret songs from the past. Summer for the City
Rhiannon Giddens. Courtesy, Summestage
Rhiannon Giddens, Lido Pimienta and Slowspin
June 25, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Manhattan
Multi-instrumentalist Rhiannon Giddens may be best known for her eclectic folk music, but she’s also the artistic director of Silkroad Ensemble, which was founded by Yo-Yo Ma, as well as a TV and podcast host. Tonight, she takes the stage along with Colombian-Canadian cumbia musician Lido Pimienta and experimental-electronic hometown artist Slowspin. SummerStage
Buscabulla. Courtesy, Celebrate Brooklyn
Buscabulla, Chuwi and Paso Negro
June 26, Lena Horne Bandshell, Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Electronic pop duo Buscabulla headlines this Celebrate Brooklyn concert highlighting Puerto Rican pride. Also on the roster: Bad Bunny collaborator Chuwi, with their eclectic, indie energy, and Afro–Puerto Rican musicians and dancers Paso Negro. Celebrate Brooklyn
New York City Opera. Photo: Chris Lee
New York City Opera: Opera Goes to Hollywood
June 26–27, Bryant Park, Midtown, Manhattan
New York City Opera stars, backed by the City Opera Orchestra, hit the stage for these Bryant Park performances. The meeting of these powerhouses, conducted by maestro Constantine Orbelian, will bring to life favorite operatic movie moments. Bryant Park Picnic Performances
Courtesy, Hudson Yards Summer Concerts
The Knocks
July 2, Hudson Yards Public Square and Gardens, Midtown West, Manhattan
The NYC-based electronic duo of Ben “B-Roc” Ruttner and James “JPatt” Patterson are known for their groove-heavy singles “Classic,” “Bodies” and “Ride or Die,” the last of which is a collaboration with Foster the People. They’ve also worked with Carly Rae Jepsen, Wyclef Jean and Walk the Moon. Be ready to dance at this high-energy performance. Hudson Yards Summer Concerts
Staten Island Philharmonic
July 6, Conference House, Tottenville, Staten Island
The borough’s Philharmonic will wait till the weekend to celebrate the country’s birthday, with a concert on the park grounds of a site that dates back well before the country’s founding.
Maggie Rose. Courtesy, River & Blues Festival
Maggie Rose
July 10, Rockefeller Park, Battery Park City, Manhattan
Maggie Rose broke into the Nashville scene in the late aughts, making a name for herself in country music. Around 2016, she began mixing more pop and progressive sounds into her music and songwriting, expanding her audience as well as her success. See the Grammy nominee perform as part of a downtown roots music festival taking place weekly in July. River & Blues
Ciara
July 11, Rockefeller Plaza, 35 W. 48th St., Midtown, Manhattan
You may be living under a rock if you don’t recognize Ciara’s songs “1, 2 Step,” “Ride” and “Goodies,” among other radio-play darlings. But on the off chance you’re not familiar with her work, now’s the time to register for a pass to see the pop superstar perform some of her biggest hits live. Today Show Citi Concert Series
Os Mutantes
July 17, Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center, Upper West Side, Manhattan
The Brazilian band debuted back in the late 1960s with a mix of tropicália and psychedelia that proved influential to generations of rockers. Founding guitarist Sergio Dias reformed the group in 2006 after a nearly 30-year hiatus; the lone original member remaining, he fronts the band as they bring their need-to-hear-it-to-understand-it sonic palette to Lincoln Center’s grounds. Summer for the City
The Roots. Photo: Alex Baranello
The Roots
July 20, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing, Queens
The Roots have been pioneers of live hip-hop since the late 1980s. These days, their drummer, Questlove, is ubiquitous in the music and film scene, and the Roots play as the house band for Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. With nearly a dozen albums and a handful of Grammys under their belts, they are sure to keep the party going with multiple hits, jam sessions and maybe even a surprise guest. Summerstage
Suzan-Lori Parks. Photo: Joan Marcus
SLP & The Joyful Noise
July 23–24, Little Island, Pier 55, Hudson River Park, Meatpacking District, Manhattan
Pulitzer-winning dramatist and musician Suzan-Lori Parks performs two late-night shows with her band at Little Island. SLP & The Joyful Noise are known for their neo-soul, spoken-word music (with influences of pop and jazz) that’s both provocative and danceable. Little Island Summer Shows
Symphonic Brass Alliance
July 26, Historic Richmond Town, 441 Clarke Ave., Richmond Town, Staten Island
Carnegie Hall’s five-piece Symphonic Brass Alliance is made up of two trumpets, a trombone, a horn and a tuba—which combine to bring beautiful jazz, pop and classical masterpieces to the masses. The talented musicians are celebrating their 30th year of sharing their diverse repertoire of music that spans generations. Carnegie Hall Citywide
Gogol Bordello. Courtesy, Celebrate Brooklyn
Gogol Bordello
August 2, Lena Horne Bandshell, Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Though made up of musicians from around the world, punk rock band Gogol Bordello was formed right here on the Lower East Side in 1999—accounting for their dedicated local following. They return home this summer, making this one-night stop in the City to electrify fans with their signature theatrical stage show. Arrive early; this is sure to be a popular one. Celebrate Brooklyn
Blacktronika Festival. Courtesy, Summerstage
Blacktronika Festival
August 16, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Manhattan
August 17, Marcus Garvey Park, 18 Mt. Morris Park West, Harlem, Manhattan
This two-day festival honors people of color who have made contributions to the evolution of electronic music. A few highlights among the many performaers: Charlie Dark, King Britt, Shana Redmond, LaFrae Sci, Vijay Iyer, Phuture, Waajeed and Rimarkable, plus various collaborations and a tribute to Paul Robeson. Summerstage
New York Loves Sly!
August 30, Bryant Park, Midtown, Manhattan
Slide trumpeter Steven Bernstein comes from Manhattan’s downtown jazz scene, where he leads the Millennial Territory Orchestra. The group regularly tackles a wide array of 20th-century music; this evening, with the help of Living Colour’s Corey Glover and Vernon Reid, they’ll play the songs of funk genius Sly Stone. Everyday people should be there to dance to the music. Bryant Park Picnic Performances
Soccer Mommy. Photo: Hannah Megery
Soccer Mommy and Hurray for the Riff Raff
September 16, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Manhattan
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Sophia Regina Allison (better known as Soccer Mommy) got her start right here in New York City, playing her first show at a venue in Bushwick, Brooklyn, when she was an NYU student back in 2016. The indie rocker returns to the City this summer with her tender songs accompanied by guitar-centric music. She shares the bill with Hurray for the Riff Raff, the vehicle of Bronx-born, New Orleans–based folk musician Alynda Segarra. Summerstage
For more summer events and activities in New York City, see our seasonal guide.
