SummerStage Guide: Free Concerts, Tips, Calendar, Tickets, Location

SummerStage is an awesome free music festival that takes place outdoors in the Spring and Summer in NYC! A great opportunity to see famous bands without paying a dime! Really cool. One of the biggest summer events in New York.

What to Expect

+100 shows in 16 parks across all five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx & Staten Island. Lots of fun and good vibes. The main stage is the one located in Central Park.

When is Central Park SummerStage

Usually from the beginning of June till the end of September.

June 2 – September 27, 2018

SummerStage Tips

  • Arrive early to grab a good spot and ensure your entry! Doors open an hour before the show.
  • Bleacher seating may be available (not for every show).
  • Free shows: you don’t need tickets but keep in mind that space is limited.
  • Bring cash: there are food, beverages & ice cream stands inside (cash only).
  • If you can’t get in, there’s space to listen on the grass outside of SummerStage.
  • Expect lots of people (especially for big name shows).
  • Shows will be held, rain or shine. Only cancelled under dangerous conditions.
  • You can’t bring into the Central Park venue, glass bottles, cans, coolers, folding chairs, bikes, video cameras, musical instruments, skateboards., beach umbrellas.
  • Parents: strollers are prohibited in Central Park venue, unless you’re attending Global Family Day.

SummerStage Schedule

Check out the complete schedule here.

Tickets

FREE! Except for a couple of big-name benefit concerts in order to help fund the SummerStage programming. The majority of SummerStage’s events are totally free.

Free Shows: admissions are on a first come first served basis. You don’t need tickets.

Tickets to Benefit Concerts: available for purchase on-site across from the VIP check in table on East Drive. Cash and credit cards accepted. Box office only opens on show days.

Click on the show below that says “PAID show” to purchase your tickets online.

Where is SummerStage: Main Location

Many concerts take place in the traditional SummerStage mainstage in Central Park, located at Rumsey Playfield.

Rumsey Playfield: East 75th St. & 5th Ave.

MORE ABOUT CENTRAL PARK

Click below for more details:

Things to do in Central Park: Spots, Activites and more

Central Park with Kids: Things to Do

SummerStage Calendar 2018

Shows at SummerStage Central Park

July 25 @ 8pm – 10pm
Alonzo King Lines Ballet

July 26 @ 6pm – 10pm
Old Crow Medicine Show – PAID show

July 28 @ 3pm – 7pm

Pete Rock & The Sould Brothers / Hannah Williams & The Affirmations / Operator EMZ

Sunday, July 29 @ 3pm – 7pm
Femi Kuti & Positive Force / Jupiter & Okwess / DJ Geko Jones

July 31 @ 11am – 12pm

Kyle Abraham’s A.I.M. Special Youth Matinee

August 1 @ 8pm – 10pm

A.I.M. Movement of the People Dance Company

August 4 @ 6pm – 10pm

THE ORIGINALS (STRETCH ARMSTRONG / CLARK KENT / D-NICE / RICH MEDINA / TONY TOUCH)

August 5 @ 3pm – 7pm

BAIANASYSTEM / HAMILTON DE HOLANDA TRIO FEAT. ROBERTA SÁ / XÊNIA FRANÇA / DJ PATRICKTOR4

August 8 @ 6pm – 10pm

VOODOO THREAUXDOWN FEAT. TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE / GALACTIC / PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND / NEW BREED BRASS BAND – PAID show $45

August 9 @ 7pm – 10pm

GOOD VIBES WITH JASON MRAZ AND BRETT DENNEN – PAID show $55-$75

August 11 @ 6pm – 10pm

KOREA GAYOJE: TOKIMONSTA / DUMBFOUNDEAD / KERO ONE

August 12 @ 7pm – 10pm

MUSIC + REVOLUTION: GREENWICH VILLAGE IN THE 1960S

August 13 @ 6pm – 10pm

O.A.R. – JUST LIKE PARADISE TOUR WITH SPECIAL GUESTS MATT NATHANSON AND THE NEW RESPECTS – PAID show $45.50.

August 19 @ 7pm – 10pm

MURA MASA / JESSY LANZA

August 22 @ 8pm – 10pm

“MR. GAGA” WITH GALLIM

August 22 @ 6pm – 7pm

GAGA/ PEOPLE DANCE WORKSHOP

August 26 @ 6pm – 10pm

EDDIE PALMIERI LA PERFECTA / TONY VEGA

August 28 @ 7pm – 10pm

VOICES OF A PEOPLE’S HISTORY

September 5 @ 6pm – 10pm

PHIL LESH & THE TERRAPIN FAMILY BAND FEATURING NICKI BLUHM AND ERIC KRASNO – PAID show $59.50-$99.50

September 8 @  6pm – 10pm

MAC DEMARCO – PAID show $40

September 26 @  6pm – 10pm

BLOOD ORANGE – PAID show $34-$40

September 27 @ 7pm – 10pm

ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO’S REMAIN IN LIGHT / RESISTANCE REVIVAL CHORUS

 

Shows at Saint Mary’s Park, The Bronx

July 26 @ 7pm – 9pm
Judy Torres / TKA / Grandwizzard Theodore

July 27 @ 7pm – 9pm
Bombazo Dance Co / The Sabrosura Effect

July 28 @ 4pm – 7pm

Spanish Harlem Orchestra

Sunday, July 29 @ Various Times
Charlie Aponte

 

Shows at Marcus Garvey Park, Harlem

August 15 @ 6pm – 9pm
ALICE SMITH / AKALA / DJ STORMIN NORMAN at Marcus Garvey Park

August 16 @ 7pm – 9pm

JEREMY MCQUEEN’S BLACK IRIS PROJECT at Marcus Garvey Park

August 18 @ 4pm – 7pm

PAPE DIOUF & LA GÉNÉRATION CONSCIENTE at Marcus Garvey Park

August 19 @ 5pm – 7pm

Rapsody at Marcus Garvey Park

August 24 @ 7pm – 9pm

CHARLES TOLLIVER’S 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF ‘PAPER MAN’ FEATURING GARY BARTZ, JACK DEJOHNETTE, BUSTER WILLIAMS + SURPRISE GUEST / BRIANNA THOMAS at Marcus Garvey Park

August 25 @ 3pm – 7pm

MONTY ALEXANDER – HARLEM KINGSTON EXPRESS / CATHERINE RUSSELL / KEYON HARROLD / MATTHEW WHITAKER TRIO at Marcus Garvey Park

 

SummerStage Shows at Other Locations

July 29 @ 7pm – 10pm
The LOX / Young M.A / Special Guest DJ Funk Flex, Hosted by Torae – Place: Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island

August 1 @ 6pm – 9pm
Tito Nieves / Bodoma & Garifuna Culture Band –Place: Crotona Park, Bronx

August 2 @ 7pm – 9pm

The Movement: Messiah / Lito Kirino / Brray / Joyce Santana / El Sosa / Nelly Nelz –Place: Crotona Park, Bronx

August 3 @ 6pm – 9pm

ULTIMATE BREAK BEATS: BREAKBEAT LOU, SPECIAL ED, NICE AND SMOOTH, LORD FINESSE –Place: Crotona Park, Bronx

August 9 @ 6pm – 10pm

WILD STYLE 35TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION AT THE AMPHITHEATER WITH SPECIAL GUEST DJ FUNK FLEX – Place: East River Park

August 12 @ 4pm – 7pm

JERRY RIVERA / NUYORICAN POETS CAFE: LA BRUJA AND CHEMBO CORNIEL – Place: East River Park

August 12 @ 7pm – 10pm

DEJ LOAF / IAMDDB. / QUIÑ – Place: Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island

August 22 @ 2pm – 3pm

FAMILY JAZZ PARTY WITH ADAM O’FARRILL AND IMMANUEL WILKINS – Place: The National Jazz Museum in Harlem

August 26 @ 3pm – 7pm

GARY BARTZ QUARTET / THE BAD PLUS / AMINA CLAUDINE MYERS / UNHEARD: ADAM O’FARRILL, IMMANUEL WILKINS, JOEL ROSS

 

Enjoy!

NewYorkerTips

Hi there :) I'm Jess and I came to NYC to pursue my dream and I feel I'm living it every day. New York is magical and you have to be open to everything because you never know who is sitting next to you on the subway or behind you in the line of the supermarket. I decided to create this blog about NYC because I realized how many powerful tips would have helped me if I knew them before coming to the city from someone who was living in NY! So I thought that it would be awesome to share with you some tips about New York from a New Yorker. I'm going to keep updating this blog so stay tuned :)