The New York City Parks Foundation has announced the 2018 season of SummerStage, New York City’s largest free outdoor performing arts festival, bringing more than 100 performances to Central Park and 17 neighborhood parks throughout the five boroughs. This year’s festival, presented by Capital One, will showcase over 200 unique artists hailing from New York City and around the globe, performing shows across a diversity of genres and disciplines, including indie-rock, hip-hop, Latin, jazz, R&B, salsa, opera, contemporary dance, and spoken word.
The festival’s season of free shows will kick off at SummerStage in Central Park on Saturday, June 2 with jazz great Gregory Porter and rising star Victory Boyd, serving as a full circle moment for the young soul-folk singer who first garnered acclaim busking in the park, before being signed by Roc Nation in 2016. Other highlights in Central Park include 2017 MacArthur Genius grant recipient and Carolina Chocolate Drops co-founder Rhiannon Giddens performing on June 16 with blues musician Son Little, two kings of salsa Eddie Palmieri and Tony Vega joining forces on August 26, up-and-coming electronic musicians Mura Masa and Jessy Lanza lighting up the stage on August 18, and renowned contemporary ballet company Alonzo King LINES Ballet on July 25. It’s sure to be another amazing year at NYC’s favorite outdoor performance venue. For more info on the shows and updates on added performances please check the SummerStage website.
SummerStage Benefit Shows
May 16 at 6:30pm
Liam Gallagher / Richard Ashcroft at Central Park
June 14 at 6pm
Jake Paul at Central Park
June 18 at 6pm
Dispatch / Nahko and Medicine For the People / Raye Zaragoza at Central Park
July 19 at 6pm
Dispatch / Nahko and Medicine For the People / Raye Zaragoza at Central Park
August 8 at 6pm
Voodoo Threauxdown featuring Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue / Galactic / Preservation Hall Jazz Band / New Breed Brass Band / special guests Cyril Neville, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Kermit Ruffins at Central Park
August 9 at 7pm
Good Vibes featuring Jason Mraz / Brett Dennen at Central Park
August 13 at 6pm
O.A.R. with special guests Matt Nathanson and The New Respects at Central Park
September 8 at 6pm
Mac DeMarco at Central Park
September 26 at 6pm
Blood Orange at Central Park
Free Performances
June 2 at 7pm
Gregory Porter / Victory, in association with Blue Note Jazz Festival at Central Park
June 9 at 7pm
Bowie Symphonic: Ensemble LPR led by Evan Ziporyn performs Bowie’s Blackstar for cello and orchestra / solo cellist TBA / Donny McCaslin Group at Central Park
June 11 at 8pm
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series featuring Latonia Moore, Mario Chang and Joshua Hopkins at Central Park
June 13 at 7pm
Yiddish Under the Stars at Central Park
June 16 at 7pm
Rhiannon Giddens / Son Little at Central Park
June 20 at 6pm
Fête de la Musique: Vianney / Chassol / Joakim, in association with FranceRocks and Bureaux Export at Central Park
June 23 at 6pm
Mariza / Noiserv / Renato Diz, in association with Arte Institute at Central Park
June 24 at 7pm
Nicky Siano’s Hallelujah Disco with the Harlem Gospel Choir and Melba Moore / The Illustrious Blacks at Central Park
June 25 at 6pm
Rock Rubber 45s film premiere with live DJ sets from Rich Medina, Stretch Armstrong, Spinna & Bobbito Garcia, special performance by lyricist Pharoahe Monch, and appearance by Rosario Dawson at Central Park
June 30 at 7pm
3 Sides of Damien Sneed: Classical, Jazz and Sanctified Soul with Brandie Sutton, Stefon Harris and Keke Wyatt / Jazzmeia Horn at Central Park
July 1 at 3pm
Northern Beat: Broken Social Scene / Melissa Laveaux / The East Pointers at Central Park
July 7 at 6pm
Taiwanese Waves: Soft Lipa / Sheng Xiang Band / Elephant Gym at Central Park
July 9 at 7pm
Oh Wonder / Sasha Sloan at Central Park
July 11 at 6pm
Gabriel Garzón Montano / Nicola Cruz / Tomasa del Real / DJ Bitman, in association with the Latin Alternative Music Conference at Central Park
July 14 at 3pm
Jorge Drexler / Trending Tropics / ÌFÉ, in association with the Latin Alternative Music Conference at Central Park
July 15 at 3pm
Family Day: Rebirth Brass Band / Big Chief Monk Boudreaux at Central Park
July 25 at 8pm
Alonzo King LINES Ballet at Central Park
July 28 at 3pm
Pete Rock & The Soul Brothers / Hannah Williams & The Affirmations / DJ Emz at Central Park
July 29 at 3pm
Femi Kuti & the Positive Force / Jupiter & Okwess / DJ Geko Jones at Central Park
July 31 at 11am
Special Youth Dance Matinee & Workshop at Central Park
August 1 at 8pm
Special Guest to-be-announced / Movement of the People Dance Company at Central Park
August 4 at 6pm
The Originals (Stretch Armstrong, Clark Kent, D-Nice, Rich Medina, Tony Touch) at Central Park
August 5 at 3pm
BaianaSystem / Hamilton de Holanda Trio feat. Roberta Sá / Xênia França, in association with Brasil Summerfest at Central Park
August 11 at6pm
KOREA GAYOJE: TOKiMONSTA / Kero One, in association with Korean Cultural Center New York and MeanRed at Central Park
August 12 at 7pm
Music + Revolution: Greenwich Village in the 1960s, hosted by Richard Barone at Central Park
August 19 at 7pm
Mura Masa / Jessy Lanza, in association with MeanRed at Central Park
August 22 at 8pm
“Mr. Gaga” with GALLIM at Central Park
August 26 at 6pm
Eddie Palmieri La Perfecta / Tony Vega at Central Park
August 28 at 8pm
Voices of A People’s History featuring Staceyann Chin, Rachel Dratch, Michael Ealy, Laura Gómez, Celisse Henderson, Viggo Mortensen and more at Central Park
September 27 at 7pm
Angelique Kidjo’s Remain in Light / Resistance Revival Chorus at Central Park