NYC Free Outdoor Show Roundup – Summer 2026: Andrew Bird, Common & More
See some of the biggest names with free outdoor concerts in NYC this summer
Looking for some music and events to do in NYC this summer that won't break the bank? Relax outdoors with music, jazz, opera, standup comedy, and more. We put together a sample of highlights of NYC's free outdoor summer concerts ranging from RuPaul’s Drag Race season 9 winner Sasha Velour to the New York City Opera celebrating Ella Fitzgerald and more. (Check out our weekly free concert roundups, too.)
Jazz at the Bandshell: Cindy Blackman Santana Group + Patricia Brennan Septet + Lucía at Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Friday July 24, 6 pm
Cindy Blackman Santana Group headlines an all-women jazz lineup alongside Mexican vibraphonist and composer Patricia Brennan, and Lucía, the 24-year-old Veracruz-born vocalist who won the 2022 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Blackman Santana is one of the most accomplished drummers of her generation, with a 40-year career as bandleader, recording artist, and live performer. The icon’s repertoire spans the realm of jazz, rock, and funk, showcasing her versatility behind the kit and in front of the mic.
Free. RSVPing helps you stay up-to-date on show info, but does not guarantee entry. Bandshell entry is first come first served.
SQUEAKYFEST ’26 – Comedians with Disabilities at Lincoln Center Plaza (UWS)
July 29 @ 7:30 pm
SqueakyFest is the first-ever multi-city comedy festival for comedians with disabilities. Their unique approach finds local talent from across the country to perform stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, improv, and more to unite the disability community and use humor as a tool for advocacy. Featured performers for this stand-up program include Benny Feldman, Maysoon Zayid, Ivy Wolk, Nick Viagas, Kenice Mobley and Nick Astor.
*Please note: This performance contains adult themes and mature language. Audience discretion is advised.
First-come first-served. Fast Track RSVP opens the Monday before the event at noon for all. Become a member and enjoy priority entry with automatic access to every Fast Track line, all year round. See the website for accessibility information including for those who would have difficulty standing in line.
UBB 40th Anniversary Celebration: BreakBeat Lou & Lord Finesse / Diamond D / Grand Puba / Sadat X / Nice & Smooth / Peter Gunz / DJ Boogie Blind at Central Park
July 30 @ 7 pm
Few records—if any—have had as much impact on music as the Ultimate Breaks and Beats compilation assembled by BreakBeat Lou and BreakBeat Lenny in 1986. By collecting what they called the “foundational” breakbeats – the very records DJs looped for breakdancers at the earliest hip-hop park jams and block parties, they created not only an essential tool for DJs, but also an accidental archive of hip-hop’s DNA. For this 40th anniversary celebration of the original compilation—of which only 25 volumes were released between 1986 and 1991— Breakbeat Lou is joined by members of the Bronx’s legendary Diggin’ in the Crates crew, Lord Finesse and Diamond D. As pioneers of a distinct New York sound, their work helped define the golden era of hip-hop production and lyricism that would soon resonate nationwide. Rounding out a line up filled with SummerStage alumni are Grand Puba and Sadat X of the acclaimed socially conscious rap group Brand Nubian; the iconic duo Nice & Smooth, best known for their single “Hip-Hop Junkies,” their feature on Big Daddy Kane’s “Pimpin Ain’t Easy,” and their unforgettable appearance on Gang Starr’s “DWYCK”; and Peter Gunz, whose collaboration with Lord Tariq, “Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)” became a late-90s anthem—sampling the unmistakable groove of Steely Dan. Completing the celebration is a set by DJ Boogie Blind, known for his affiliations with the legendary X‑ecutioners as well as the Diggin’ in the Crates collective. Together, these artists represent the culture, creativity, and crate-digging spirit that helped transform a DJ tool into one of hip-hop’s most influential musical documents.
No rsvp needed
Doug E. Fresh & Funk Flex Second Annual Hip-Hop Appreciation Park Jam at Crotona Park (Bronx)
Friday July 31, 6-9 pm
“Human beatbox” Doug E. Fresh is one of the pivotal figures of hip-hop, who can accurately imitate drum machines and effects with just his mouth and a microphone. His early collaborations with Slick Rick — ”The Show” and “La Di Da Di” — are among the genre’s foundational hits. Funk Flex is more than just a DJ. He’s a hip-hop institution, a radio and club mainstay who has helped some of New York’s biggest artists and hits break out and continues to keep his finger on the pulse of hip-hop and R&B. These SummerStage alums are back with an old-school park jam reminiscent of hip-hop’s humble and joyous beginnings, celebrating the art form in which they’ve invested their lives, in the borough in which it was born.
Free & no rsvp needed
Andrew Bird with the Wordless Music Orchestra Perform 20th Anniversary of “The Mysterious Production of Eggs” at Central Park
Thursday August 6 @ 8 pm
The violinist, singer, songwriter, and composer Andrew Bird has stretched the musical boundaries of folk in an eclectic career that spans 18 albums, developing a multi-layered sound with diverse instrumentation. His most defining work is arguably 2005’s The Mysterious Production of Eggs, which demonstrated an avant-pop sophistication with a mastery of elaborate loops, multi-tracked violin, and his remarkable prowess as a whistler. Bird has headlined shows at iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Red Rocks Amphitheatre, but he’ll celebrate the 20th anniversary of that record at SummerStage in Central Park with the Wordless Music Orchestra, performing the record for the first time in its entirety alongside a full orchestra, followed by a suite of fan-favorites from his nearly 30-year repertoire.
Free & no rsvp needed
New York City Opera: Celebration of Ella Fitzgerald at Bryant Park
Friday August 7 @ 7 pm
New York City Opera returns in August with a performance by three-time Grammy Award-winning soprano Latonia Moore, honoring the timeless music of “The First Lady of Song”.
Free & no rsvp needed
BRIC Celebrates Aaliyah: One in a Million at Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday August 8, 3 to 8:30 pm
R&B princess Aaliyah was born in Brooklyn, and today Brooklyn comes out to celebrate her life and her music. The full lineup has not yet been announced; additional details will be released in the coming weeks.
Free. RSVPing helps you stay up-to-date on show info, but does not guarantee entry. Bandshell entry is first come first served.
Lyricist Lounge 35th Anniversary at Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Friday August 14, 6 to 10 pm
The Lyricist Lounge is a hip hop showcase of rappers, emcees, DJs, and Graffiti artists. Full lineup coming soon!
Free. RSVPing helps you stay up-to-date on show info, but does not guarantee entry. Bandshell entry is first come first served.
Sasha Velour's NightGowns at Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday August 21, 7 to 10 pm
Internationally acclaimed actor, author, illustrator, and TV personality are just some of the glamorous hats worn by superstar Drag Queen Sasha Velour. Her allstar revue NightGowns is considered one of the best drag variety shows of all time. Whether you know her from RuPaul’s Drag Race (she’s the Season 9 Champ) or her extravagant live performances, catching NightGowns under the stars in Prospect Park promises an experience you’ll remember forever.
Free. RSVPing helps you stay up-to-date on show info, but does not guarantee entry. Bandshell entry is first come first served.
Common and Special Guests To Honor the Social Justice Legacy of Harry Belafonte at Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Friday August 28, 7 to 10 pm
The Action Lab’s Harry Belafonte Fellowship brings one of hip-hop’s most enduring civic voices to the Bandshell. Common’s prolific discography spans the ‘90s to the present day. Between releasing albums and authoring books, he has received an Oscar, a Grammy, and an Emmy for his creative work, all the while working tirelessly as an activist dedicated to social justice. Join us for an event that is as much a cultural moment as a concert.
There will be an ASL interpreter on stage.
Free. RSVPing helps you stay up-to-date on show info, but does not guarantee entry. Bandshell entry is first come first served.
Dominican Night at the Bandshell at Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday August 29, 6 to 10 pm
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso presents an unforgettable night of Dominican music, featuring Teodoro Reyes, the blind legend of bachata, whose songs of bittersweet love are charged with raw emotional power; La Insuperable, aka “La Mami del Swagger,” a trailblazer in the Dominican dembow scene; and Aris Jackson, who combines elements of tropical and popular Latin music with charismatic style. Plus, high-energy sets by the mighty DJ Mega Jay.
There will be an ASL interpreter on stage.
Free. RSVPing helps you stay up-to-date on show info, but does not guarantee entry. Bandshell entry is first come first served.
New York Sings Yiddish! At Central Park
September 17 @ 7 pm
Come and celebrate the rich cultural legacy of Yiddish music with New York Sings Yiddish at Central Park SummerStage on June 22nd, 2026 at 7 pm. Presented by Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage in collaboration with the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, this event will see Central Park come alive with the beautiful sound of Yiddish songs featuring an all-start line up of Yiddish performers from around the globe!
|
The Jackie Mason Musical-A Comedy Actors Temple Theatre (7/25-7/26) |
|
Brandie Inez Sutton: Miss Sutton, Live! 54 Below (10/08-10/08) |
|
Broadway’s Next Hit Musical, feat A.J. Shively & The Best Improvisers in NYC! 54 Below (7/20-7/20) |
|
Linda Eder 54 Below (7/21-7/21) |
|
Broadway Undressed with Tom Guthrie and Landon Stovall: A Benefit for The Door 54 Below (9/17-9/17) |
|
Isaac Mizrahi Hooray 54 Below (8/14-8/14) |
|
Flame: The Songs of Amara Janae Brady and Xander Browne 54 Below (8/23-8/23) |
|
Elena Shaddow Sings Nine… all of it! 54 Below (10/29-10/29) |
|
Scott Siegel's Broadway Musical Brunch! 54 Below (9/26-9/26) |
|
Sing Us Out: Diving Down The Deep End 54 Below (8/15-8/15) |