Bryant Park Picnics Announces 2018 Summer Season

Bryant Park Corporation proudly announces the schedule for its newly-renamed summer performing arts series Bryant Park Picnics. With new presenting partners, major artists, live theater and weekly picnics on the Lawn, 2018 promises to be Bryant Park's most expansive and exciting season yet.

This season, Bryant Park Picnics hosts events with some of New York's most renowned music, theater, and dance institutions. Carnegie Hall Citywide offers five free outdoor concerts with extraordinary classical, blues, Latin, gospel, and world music artists. 2018 also marks the five-year anniversary of The Drilling Company's Shakespeare at Bryant Park, as well as the third year of collaboration with New York City Opera. For the first time, Bryant Park hosts a massive, free outdoor ballet master class in partnership with American Ballet Theatre.

The Bryant Park Picnics season begins with The Folio Is Female: Great Women of Shakespeare(April 23), an exploration of women's roles in Shakespeare's canon produced by The Drilling Company. The season concludes with members of New York City Opera performing highlights fromThe Barber of Seville (September 17).

In between, the park hosts dozens of free evening events, including the debut of the park's partnership with Carnegie Hall Citywide presenting Brave Combo (July 18), Sinkane (August 8),The Campbell Brothers at Carnegie Hall Citywide Night (August 10), and more; a free outdoor ballet master class in partnership with American Ballet Theatre (June 15); the internationalAccordion Festival (September 14) featuring Italian superstars Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, New York's own Shilpa Ray, Bukharan Jewish music and dance from Shashmaqam, and all-female Mexican Norteña Rimel; full-length productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and Macbeth from The Drilling Company; more live performances from New York City Opera including selections from Carmen (May 14), Madama Butterfly (June 13) and the never-before-seen sneak preview of City Opera's season opener The Crucible (August 28); the two-day, ten-artistEmerging Music Festival (August 17 and 18); and, Contemporary Dance performances, weekly picnics and even more surprises to be announced. Outside of Bryant Park Picnics, Bryant Park will also host a weekly Dance Party series featuring celebrations of swing, tango, bhangra, and salsa music.

All Bryant Park Picnics events are free to the public with no dress code, no tickets, and no lines. At each show, Bryant Park lends out over 200 free blankets for audience members to spread out and relax while enjoying the performance. Hester Street Fair brings an exciting array of local food vendors including Brooklyn Oyster Company, Bonsai Kakigori, Sweet Face Snowballs and more to be announced. Beer and wine is available for purchase, and entertainment abounds with jugglers, supersized games, and much more.

"Bryant Park Picnics is one of the most accessible and inviting ways to experience this city's incredible performing arts," said Dan Fishman, Public Events Manager at Bryant Park Corporation. "Grab a blanket and try something new: listen to opera for the first time, learn a ballet move, or watchMacbeth. It's completely free, and there is nothing like watching a world-class performance from the comfort of a picnic."

Please visit BryantPark.org for up-to-the-minute lineup updates and show additions.