Five Free, Fun Outdoor Concert Series in NYC – Summer 2025
Check out highlights of some of the best offerings of outdoor concerts in the city this summer with free shows
By: Rebecca Kaplan Jun. 28, 2025
Enjoy summer in New York City with some of the best outdoor events the city has to offer. This vibrant collection of events feature a multitude of genres of music spread across all five boroughs – and most of them are free.
Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City
Now through August 9
Lincoln Center's fourth annual Summer for the City offers hundreds of free and Choose-What-You-Pay performances and cultural activities for all ages. This free concert series on the Upper West Side features a vibrant and diverse lineup of events for people of all ages – star jazz vocalist Catherine Russell, a lineup of acclaimed female comedians, multiple styles of silent disco (including this NYPL-themed one as well as this accessible one), an Alvin Ailey dance workshop, and classical music. View a sampling of highlights below and check out their full lineup of events here.
Stamptown (Lincoln Center Presents) at Damrosch Park
Sat. June 28 @ 8 pm
Free show; reservations available here.
Equal parts vaudeville, stand-up, cabaret, circus, drag, dance, improv, performance art, magic, and genius, Stamptown is a sweaty, sexy whirlwind that will sweep you off your feet and leave you rushing to tell your friends what you just saw. Masterminded by host and resident lead attraction Zach Zucker (Netflix, Vulture’s 2023 Comedian You Should Know), Stamptown’s past lineups have included Neil Patrick Harris, Richard Kind, David Cross, Reggie Watts, Catherine Cohen, Sarah Sherman, and hundreds more of the most talented people in the known universe. Stamptown has been a New York Times Top Comedy Pick for three years running and has played to sold-out audiences worldwide. So what are you waiting for? Cancel your appointments, quit your job, sell the kids for Uber fare, rush to Damrosch Park, and prepare your tender soul to receive the chaotic benediction that is Stamptown!
Catherine Russell at Damrosch Park
Fri. July 11 @ 6:30 pm
Free show; reservations available here.
When you take one of the greatest jazz vocalists of this generation and put her on stage with one of the world's premiere big bands, you get a night you'll never forget! Trumpeter and bandleader Danny Jonokuchi's 17-piece band is one of the most popular dance ensembles on the jazz scene, conjuring up the height of Savoy Ballroom swing. GRAMMY winner and three-time nominee jazz vocalist Catherine Russell is a native New Yorker born into musical royalty. Her father, Luis Russell, was a legendary pianist, bandleader, and Louis Armstrong’s longtime music director. During this special night, Catherine Russell will perform historic Louis Armstrong big band arrangements, newly restored by Jonokuchi, in partnership with the Louis Armstrong House Museum. You’ll hear songs performed live for the first time since the 1940s! Arrive early for a warm-up DJ session and lesson from our dance instructor and you'll be ready to swing out on The Dance Floor.
Waitress: The Musical In American Sign Language by Deaf Broadway at The Dance Floor at Josie Robertson Plaza (Lincoln Center Plaza)
Weds. July 23 @ 8 pm
Free show; reservations available here.
In just five short years, Deaf Broadway has become synonymous with authentically Deaf musical theater. The organization was founded during the 2020 pandemic in response to artistic director Garrett Zuercher's experience with the state of Deaf access to performances of lyrically complex musicals, which too often water down the nuance of the original work’s language and intentions. Taking up the gauntlet, he and his team began producing American Sign Language interfaces of popular musicals. Eventually, the company began staging the prerecorded audio performance of the musical, presented live by a trained Deaf cast acting their individual parts in ASL. Following their productions of RENT and Once on This Island, this remarkable company returns to Lincoln Center with a live staging of the Broadway smash Waitress by Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson—offering a more equitable shared evening for hearing and Deaf audiences alike, showcasing a full Deaf Broadway cast performing the music through ASL with direction by Sandra Mae Frank.
Free Summer Concerts at NYC Parks
Now through September 12
Musicians from around the world are coming to New York’s parks to perform. Rock, folk, jazz, hip hop, classical, world—no matter what your style is, there’s a performance for you. There are events scattered throughout all five boroughs – you can filter by borough, neighborhood, date, park, and more. Browse the whole lineup here.
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! 2025
Now through August 16
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! 2025 explores the interconnectedness of global music, presenting the vibrant tapestry of artists whose work resonates from around the world and within the borough of Brooklyn. This season, they honor the diverse cultures that make Brooklyn a global music hub, featuring artists whose work transcends borders and celebrates the exchange of ideas. They’re “proud to present international icons and introduce you to the next generation of global music makers – many of whom call Brooklyn home.”
Explore their full lineup here.
CityParks SummerStage 2025
Now through October
With shows across all five boroughs, for its 39th season, SummerStage is “featuring a long list of stars, taste-makers, and artists whose work defines our culture. Everything from salsa, jazz, hip-hop, indie-rock, dance, opera, pop, and soul will grace our stages, with a number of shows curated by some of the most unique and talented artistic minds of our day. Our season celebrates the diversity of our City, presenting emerging and well-known artists, genre-defining talents, powerhouse women, and international heavyweights.”
Many of their shows are free, and they have artists who represent the best of their respective genres including Doug E. Fresh (August 1 in Crotona Park), jazz singer April May Webb in Marcus Garvey Park on August 22, and celebrated Yiddish vocalists curated by National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene playing klezmer music (June 30 in Central Park).
View the full 2025 lineup here.
Bryant Park Picnic Performances
Now through September 12
Bryant Park Picnic Performances presented by Bank of America is a free outdoor festival that welcomes all New Yorkers to experience the city’s vibrant arts and culture. This summer, enjoy extraordinary artists and events in collaboration with a wide array of New York's cultural institutions. Highlights include a show by star jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant on July 25, the New York City Opera performing Carmen September 4 and 5. As a bonus: most of the offerings are livestreamed for those not able to make it in person.
View the full 2025 lineup here.
Downtown Brooklyn Summer Events
Now through August 8
If you live or work near the downtown Brooklyn area, you can see fun, vibrant concerts (plus, some dance parties and fitness workshops) in the area, including summer lunchtime jazz concerts curated by the Jazz Foundation of America with some of jazz’s most celebrated local musicians in Columbus Park right outside of Borough Hall.
View the full 2025 lineup here
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