SummerStage is set to make its grand return in June, offering more than 70 free shows in Central Park and 13 other neighborhood parks throughout New York City. The series aims to provide accessible entertainment to the community, with nearly all events free of charge.
Opening night is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4, in Central Park, featuring a vibrant New Orleans-themed celebration. The lineup includes jazz legend Marcus Miller, NPR “Tiny Desk” winners Tank and the Bangas, and the brass ensemble The Soul Rebels.
On July 27, Afrobeat star Femi Kuti will headline a free concert in Central Park, joined by poet Maryam Bukar Hassan. This year, many of the events will be curated by the artists themselves, a strategy highlighted by City Parks Foundation Executive Director Heather Lubov. One notable event is “Blacktronica,” a festival of POC electronic artists, taking place at Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem on August 17.
“There’s a lot of work to really identify artists in their own communities and curate shows in those communities,” Lubov noted.
Other significant dates in Central Park include Jessica Pratt, who will perform haunting folk songs on July 24, and an indie-rock closing show on September 16 featuring Soccer Mommy and Hurray for the Riff Raff.
In addition to the free concerts, a few paid benefit shows will support the City Parks Foundation. Notable acts include a sold-out performance by the recently reunited indie band Rilo Kiley, as well as shows from James Blunt, The Head and the Heart, and Jacob Collier. Paid tickets for these shows are available through LiveNation, while no reservations are required for the free events.
Beyond Central Park, Big Freedia will bring her bounce/rap project to Herbert Von King Park in Bed-Stuy on July 10, and The Roots will perform at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens on July 20, both as free shows.
The SummerStage series will run from June 4 to September 16, with performances taking place in various parks across New York City. The full lineup and additional information can be found on the SummerStage official website.
