It’s about that time of year, the kick-off of the NYC Outdoor Summer Concerts Season, which runs through September. We’ve rounded up amazing free series to check out, from Broadway show performances to big stage concerts, plays, and band covers.
Check them out below and add favorites to your calendar! Note, many also open their ‘doors’ or lawn an 1-2 hours before the set time, enough for you to settle in, find your spot, and sometimes picnic.
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Be sure to click the links to secure tickets and more info! As always, BOOKMARK this GUIDE to your home screen and check back for new additions and updates. Also, join our NYC Plugged Broadcast Channel as well for more time-sensitive updates.
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Updated 8/7/26
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TSQ LIVE
📅 Select Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays; April 29th – September 29th
📍 Broadway Pedestrian Plaza between 45th and 46th Streets
Schedule:
Tuesdays at 5pm: Weekly DJ Sets
Wednesdays at 12pm and 5 pm: Live Music with MTA Music and Dance Workshops
Thursdays at 5pm: Live Music
Fridays at 6pm: Summer Friday Concerts
Backyard at Hudson Yards LIVE! CONCERTS
📅 Wednesdays, May 13th – June 3rd, 7pm, *Opening Act: 6pm
📍 Hudson Yards Public Square & Gardens, 11th Avenue and Hudson Blvd
Schedule:
May 13th: Aly & Aj (Opening performance by Magnus Ferrell)
May 20th: Mike Posner
May 27th: Busta Rhymes (Opening performance by DJ Scratch)
June 3rd: Jordin Sparks (Opening performance by Emyrson Flora)
Free Shakespeare in the Park: Romeo & Juliet
📅 Friday, May 22nd – Sunday, June 28th, 8pm; Except Mondays
📍 Delacorte Theater, 81 Central Park West
The Public’s Associate Artistic Director and Resident Director Saheem Ali brings Shakespeare’s legendary star-crossed lovers to Central Park for the first time in nearly 20 years.
Tickets: Public Theater members looking to reserve seats must log in to reserve their seats before selecting their performance date. For others, there are multiple in-person distribution points for free day-of tickets, as well as the return of TodayTix as the official digital lottery partner:
Distribution in Central Park, In-person lottery at The Public Theater, Distribution across all five boroughs, Digital lottery with TodayTix, Standby line in Central Park. Additionally, Nordstrom NYC will host a ticket lottery at their flagship store during ROMEO & JULIET on June 23rd.
Shakesphere for the City Summer Kickoff Celebration- May 30th More Details Here!
Bryant Park Picnic Performances
📅 Select Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays; May 28th – September 11th, 7pm
📍Bryant Park, W42nd Street & 6th Avenue
Line up Here
Presented by Bank of America, this free outdoor festival welcomes all New Yorkers to experience the city’s vibrant arts and culture.
Carnegie Hall Citywide
📅 Select Days of the Week; May 30th – August 20th, Various Times
📍Various Parks
Carnegie Hall is partnering with local community organizations to present free concerts featuring sensational celebrations of sounds from across the country and around the globe.
Central Park Summerstage
📅 Saturday, May 30th – Thursday, October 1st, Various Times
📍 Most concerts take place Central Park Summerstage, E. 71st Street
Line up Here
Features more than 60 shows in 13 parks.
Opening Night 6/10: Ledisi for Dinah / José James / Spilata / DJ Kultured Child
New York Classical Theatre: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
📅 Tuesday, June 2nd-Sunday, July 5th, Tuesdays–Sundays, 7pm
📍June 2–21 | Central Park (Central Park West & West 103rd Street), June 23–28 | Carl Schurz Park (East 87th St. & East End Avenue), June 30–July 5 | The Battery/Castle Clinton (Broadway x State Street)
Experience The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, directed by Stephen Burdman, in New York Classical Theatre’s immersive Panoramic Theatre style, where the audience follows the action from scene to scene through the park.
Sugar Sugar!
📅 Wednesday, June 3rd- Thursday, June 25th, Wednesdays & Thursdays, DJ at 7pm, performances at 8-10pm
📍Domino Park, 15 River Street (Domino Square)
Sugar Sugar! transforms Domino Square’s waterfront amphitheater along the East River into a festive, open-air stage for new performances, from sexy and brazen to joyful and absurd. At sunset, artists working across dance, puppetry, theater, performance art, and music will premiere performances conceived specifically for the park.
The Public Theater Mobile Unit’s As You Like It
📅 Thursday, June 4th- Sunday, June 28th, 6:30pm
📍Across All Five Boroughs
Schedule:
June 4–6: Astor Place (Manhattan)
June 7: Cathedral of St. John The Divine (Manhattan)
June 9–10: Wolfe’s Pond Park (Staten Island)
June 11–12: J. Hood Wright Park (Manhattan)
June 13–14: Travers Park (Queens)
June 16: Williamsbridge Oval Park (Bronx)
June 17–18: St. Mary’s Park (Bronx)
June 19–20: The New York Public Library & Bryant Park (Manhattan)
June 21: Elmhurst Park (Queens)
June 23: Roy Wilkins Park (Queens)
June 24: Brownsville Recreation Center (Brooklyn)
June 25–26: Sunset Park (Brooklyn)
June 27–28: Prospect Park at The Peninsula (Brooklyn)
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!
📅 Thursday, June 4th – Saturday, September 19th, Various Times
📍 Prospect Park, Lena Horne Bandshell, 141 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn
* Most BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! shows are presented free of charge.
Opening Night 6/4: Sheila E. + Leon Knight + DJ Spinna
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series
📅 Monday, June 8th – Wednesday, June 17th, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays
📍 Various Parks across NYC
Presented in collaboration with Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage, the Met’s popular concert series in New York City parks returns this summer.
New York Philharmonic: Concerts in the Parks
📅 Tuesday, June 9th – Sunday, June 14th, 8pm (6/14 at 2pm)
📍 Across NYC
Presented by Didi and Oscar Schafer
Schedule:
June 9th: Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx
June 10th: Central Park, Manhattan
June 11th: Cunningham Park, Queens
June 12: Prospect Park, Brooklyn
June 14th: St. George Theatre, Staten Island *INDOORS
Lincoln Center Summer for the City
📅 Wednesday, June 10th – Saturday, August 8th, Various Times *some indoor concerts
📍Lincoln Center, Josie Robertson Plaza, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza
Celebrate the Summer of Dance at Summer for the City with hundreds of FREE and Choose-What-You-Pay events for all. Centered on movement, contemporary artistry, and international voices.
Uptown Shakespeare in the Park: Othello
📅 Tuesday- Sunday, July 5th- 26th, 8:30pm *Previews July 2nd & 3rd
📍 Marcus Garvey Park, Richard Rogers Amphitheater, 6316 Mount Morris Park West
Shakespeare’s searing tragedy of love, jealousy, power, and betrayal – live in Harlem.
Battery City Park Authority River & Blues
📅 Thursdays, July 9th – July 30th, 7:30pm
📍 Rober F. Wagner Jr. Park, 20 Battery Place
Scedule:
July 9th: Rebirth Brass Band
July 16th: The War And Treaty
July 23rd: Allen Stone
July 30th: Amelia Day
*Opening Performance: A Vibe Called Blessed
Summer Fridays at The Shed with Soul Summit & Latinx Freedom
📅 Fridays, July 10th, July 24th, August 7th
📍 The Shed Plaza, 545 West 30th Street
Kick off the weekend with DJ collective Soul Summit, special guest artists, and community resourcing organizations like New York Immigration Coalition, Project Open Arms, and more, celebrating joy, connection, and collective power!
Hudson River Park: Broadway by the Boardwalk
📅 Mondays, July 13th – August 10th, 6:30pm
📍 Hudson River Park, Clinton Cove
Broadway by the Boardwalk transforms Hudson River Park’s scenic Clinton Cove lawn into a welcoming open-air theater by inviting Broadway’s brightest stars to perform at the waterfront. New this year, each performance will begin with Stepping into the Spotlight, an exciting new showcase featuring Broadway’s next generation of stars.
Broadway in Bryant Park
📅 Thursdays, July 23rd – August 13th, 12:30-1:30pm
📍Bryant Park, W42nd Street & 6th Avenue
Join hundreds of fans on the lawn and enjoy favorite Broadway tunes for lunchtime performances. hosted and presented by LiteFM.
Sounds at Sunset: Brooklyn Americana Music
📅 Friday, July 24th, 7-9pm
📍Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 3 Greenway Terrace
Brooklyn Americana Music returns to curate a free sunset concert with Jazz & Americana artists. Enjoy views and the performances of local and international talent.
Fort Greene Park Jazz Festival
📅Saturday, July 25th, 3-7pm
Fort Greene Park, Debalb and Washington Park
Experience live jazz entertainment for families, neighborhoods, communities, and New Yorkers.
Battery Dance Festival
📅 Saturday, July 25th & Monday, August 10th-Sunday, August 16th, 7pm
📍 Rober F. Wagner Jr. Park, 20 Battery Place
Schedule:
July 25th: America 205: Moving Together
August 10th-16th: Battery Dance Festival
Free Shakespeare in the Park: The Winter’s Tale
📅 Tuesday, July 28th – Sunday, August 23rd
📍 Delacorte Theater, 81 Central Park West
Tickets: Public Theater members looking to reserve seats must log in to reserve their seats before selecting their performance date. For others, there are multiple in-person distribution points for free day-of tickets, as well as the return of TodayTix as the official digital lottery partner:
Distribution in Central Park, In-person lottery at The Public Theater, Distribution across all five boroughs, Digital lottery with TodayTix, Standby line in Central Park. Additionally, Nordstrom NYC will host a ticket lottery at their flagship store during ROMEO & JULIET on June 23rd.
Harlem Meer Performance Festival
📅 Select Sundays, July 26th – August 23rd, 2pm
📍 Harlem Meer, Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, 5th Avenue and 110th Streets
This year will feature a fresh lineup of performers for a dynamic, genre-spanning festival. Groove to Afro, Latin, world, hip-hop, gospel, jazz, and blues sounds. At intermission each week, they’ll shine the spotlight on Central Park Conservancy staff and share stories of our work as caretakers for Central Park’s 843 acres.
Nomad Jazz Festival
📅 Sunday August 2nd- Saturday, August 8th
📍 Madison Square Park, East 23rd Street & Broadway
Festival week kicks off with pop-up performances across NoMad and Flatiron, August 2–6. The mainstage festival returns to Madison Square Park on August 7–8. Nomad Jazz Festival Food Market.
Lineup
- José James
- The Jazz Gallery All-Stars featuring Renée Neufville
- George Cables
- Ben Wendel
- Jaleel Shaw with special guest Camille Thurman
- John Ellis & Double-Wide
- Godwin Louis
- Yuhan Su
Cultural & Family Program: South Bronx Charter School for International Cultures and the Arts
+ Swing-Along with Allegra Levy & Friends
Z100 Summer Bash
📅 Thursday, August 6th, 6-9pm
📍 Hudson Yards Public Square & Gardens
Z100 SummerBash presented by Wells Fargo. Lineup: Charlie Puth, Yeonjun, Bella Kay and JYT.
Stan Michels Jazz Festival
📅 August 8th, 1-4pm
📍 Fort Tryon Park, Stan Michels Promenade
Join the Fort Tryon Park Conservancy for the 18th Annual Stan Michels Jazz Festival, a beloved summer tradition celebrating world-class jazz in one of New York City’s most beautiful parks.
Bastid’s BBQ at The Seaport
📅 August 8th, 2-10pm
📍 The Seaport: Fulton Street and Front Street
Bastid’s BBQ returns at The Seaport (Fulton St & Front St) for a full day of good music, good food, and good people.
Molière in the Park: Don Juan
📅 Friday, August 14th & Sunday, September 6th-Sunday, September 27th
📍 Domino Square and Prospect Park LeFrak Center at Lakeside
Friday, August 14: Pop-up preview at Domino Square (Williamsburg)
Sat, Sept 5 – Sun, Sept 27: Full production run at Prospect Park’s LeFrak Center at Lakeside
Blues BBQ Festival
📅 August 15th, 1-9pm
📍 Hudson River Park, Pier 76
Featuring a packed day with fun including performances across two live stages, take part in dance lessons, test your mettle in Hot Sauce Alley, browse the festival marketplace and enjoy family-friendly activities and games.
Brooklyn Bridge Park Salsa Night
📅 Friday, August 21st, 6-9pm
📍 Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6
Join world-renowned dancer, instructor, and producer Talía Castro-Pozo and friends at Salsa Night. Join for a beginner Salsa lesson 6-7pm, followed by a live band, Funk Salsa Urban, and DJ from 7-9pm.
The Metropolitan Opera Summer HD Festival
📅 Wednesday, September 2nd – Monday, Septmber 7th
📍 The Metropolian Opera, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza
The Met’s 17th Summer HD Festival features five thrilling performances from the company’s Live in HD series of cinema transmissions. The free showings, with approximately 2,500 seats are set up in front of the opera house each night. Seating is general admission on a first-come, first-served basis.
Public Works’ Public Record
📅 Friday, September 4th-Tuesday, September 8th
📍Delacorte Theater, 81 Central Park West
New Yorkers from all five boroughs are coming together to create a live album—on stage, in real time. PUBLIC RECORD, based on a concept by Dan Canham and Emily Lim, brings Public Works community members, musicians, and dancers into a cast of over 100 to capture how our city sings, moves, and tells its story in this moment.
Dancing on the Overlook: The Arthur Murray Experience – Swing
📅 Saturday, September 5th, 11am-1pm
📍 Central Park, Wollman Rink, 830 5th Avenue
Join us for Swing Dancing on the Overlook on Saturday wth Arthur Murray Dance Studios.
Jammcard JammJam
📅 Tuesday, September 15th, 7-9:45pm
📍 Gansevoort Plaza, 38 Gansevoort Street
The JammJam returns to New York City for an outdoor show in the heart of the Meatpacking District, bringing an all-star lineup of New York’s finest musicians and artists.
Stay Tuned for More Additions!
