As the concrete jungle slowly blooms into summer, New Yorkers can shed their winter skins for the vibrant embrace of open-air concerts. Gothamist lays out the itinerary for SummerStage, the annual outdoor music bonanza that's been luring music lovers of all stripes out into the sun for nearly four decades. On tap this year are more than 70 shows sprinkled across Central Park and a smattering of neighborhood parks spanning the boroughs, with the lion's share of these musical excursions being free.
Mark your calendars for June 4, when SummerStage kicks off at Central Park. In a nod to jazz aficionados, Marcus Miller, NPR’s "Tiny Desk" contest winners Tank and the Bangas, and The Soul Rebels will have the stages grooving to a New Orleans beat. If you've been itching to see Afrobeat sensation Femi Kuti or indie heartthrobs Soccer Mommy and Hurray for the Riff Raff, then Central Park is also where you'll want to head on July 27 and September 16, respectively, as reported by Gothamist.
The ethos this year is diversity and inclusion. That's clear from the roster of artists, which spans genders, genres, and geography. Aside from the heavy-hitting performances in Manhattan's verdant refuge, venues like Marcus Garvey Park and Herbert Von King Park will feature everything from an electronic music festival dubbed “Blacktronica” to the unmistakable bounce of Big Freedia, as detailed by Time Out.
Aside from the sonic offerings, the slate of events includes some intriguing crossovers. Kudos to City Parks Foundation Executive Director Heather Lubov, who told Gothamist, "There’s a lot of work to really identify artists in their own communities and curate shows in those communities." But the festival isn't entirely an altruistic endeavor; a few concerts will tease open the wallets for paid admission, supporting the non-profit City Parks Foundation – and those tickets are up for grabs through LiveNation.
For the full scheduling symphony, updates, and the few instances where tickets are necessary, the SummerStage website stands ready to Instruct. From jazz to hip-hop, indie rock to salsa, and everything in between, it's clear that SummerStage is poised to be part of New York City’s summer pulse yet again.
