2018 Free Summer Concerts
The 2018 season of SummerStage, New York’s largest free performing arts festival, brings over 100 free performances to 16 parks throughout the 5 boroughs every May through September.
With performances ranging from American pop, Latin and world music to dance, spoken word and theater, SummerStage brings a huge summer arts festival to New York City’s landscape. Special 2018 guests include: Jason Mraz and Brett Dennen, Liam Gallagher, Jake Paul, O.A.R. with special guest, Matt Nathanson, Mac DeMarco and more.
2018 Central Park SummerStage NYC Schedule
Central Park SummerStage NYC
100+ free events. 200+ artists. 16 NYC parks. The majority of Summerstage performances are free, except for a few requiring tickets.
Select Performances Requiring Tickets
More: Central Park Summerstage Tickets
April 18, 2018 – City Parks Foundation is thrilled to announce 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. Citywide, Brooklyn based indie rock group San Fermin will kick off SummerStage’s four-day run in Red Hook’s Coffey Park on June 21, legendary Hip Hop group Jungle Brothers and friends will take over Queensbridge Park on July 15, and beloved dancehall singer Sister Nancy will perform with reggae hitmakerShinehead in Crotona Park on August 4.
This season, SummerStage will continue its decades-long tradition of bringing stellar artists and important voices from around the world to perform in New York City, some for the very first time. In Central Park, Portugal’s biggest fado superstar Mariza will perform with support from countrymen Noiserv and Renato Dizon June 23, and on July 7, Soft Lipa, Sheng Xiang & Band,and Elephant Gym will showcase the best of Taiwanese tunes ranging from hip-hop to rock.
Grammy Award-winning Beninese singer-songwriter, actress and activist, Angelique Kidjo, will perform on September 27, with the New York City based Resistance Revival Chorus, and Nigerian musician and activist Femi Kuti will deliver his iconic Afrobeat rhythms on July 29 with the exciting rising stars and Congolese band Jupiter & Okwess. On July 1, Canadian indie-rock collective Broken Social Scene will show off their “Northern Beats” and on August 11, Korean-American musical forces ToKiMONSTA and Kero One will perform an eclectic mix of lyrical jazz hip-hop and atmospheric electronic hits.
The annual City Parks Foundation Gala will take place on June 18, 2018. Following the dinner, guests will enjoy a SummerStage concert performed by Steven Tyler and The Loving Mary Band.
Full SummerStage Schedule:
www.cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage
www.facebook.com/SummerStageNYC
Directions:
Central Park, Rumsey Playfield
Enter park at 69th Street and 5th Avenue
East side: 6 train to 68th or 77th Streets; N, R or W trains to 5th Avenue; F train to 63rd and Lexington
West side: 1, 2, 3, 9, B or C trains to 72nd Street
Back to Top Central Park SummerStage NYC
Central Park NY and New York City Passes
Offers Central Park Movie & TV Sites Tour ($25 Value) and choice of Central Park Sightseeing Bike Tours & Rentals ($50 value).
Offers Bike and Roll Central Park Tour ($40 value), Central Park Zoo admission and discounts to Central Park Movie & TV Sites Tour as choices.
Back to Top Central Park SummerStage NYC
Central Park NY Hotels
These are NYC Insider hand picked hotels that are not just “near” Central Park, as most NYC hotels claim to be…but on the Park itself, either Central Park South, Central Park West or Fifth Ave. Many other hotels are nearby, or within a few blocks, but these are the closest, and all offer Park views from select rooms.
Some of our top value picks near Central Park include:
See the Insider Guide for dozens more Central Park NY Hotels and download our free Central Park map at Central Park NY Guide
Back to Top Central Park SummerStage NYC
More Summer Concerts in NYC:
Summer Concert Series Schedules
(May - September)
- Jones Beach Concert Series
- Good Morning America Summer Concert Series
- TODAY Show Summer Concert Series Rockefeller Plaza
- Central Park SummerStage
- Amphitheater at Coney Island
- Forest Hills Stadium
June Concerts, Shows and Events
- U2 - June 25-26, 2018; MSG
- Harry Styles - June 21-22, 2018; MSG
- Sam Smith - June 27 @ Barclays Center, June 29 @ MSG
- Imagine Dragons - June 19, 2018; MSG
- Def Leppard / Journey - June 13 @ MSG, June 15 @ Prudential Center (NJ)
- Governors Ball Music Festival - June 1-3, 2018, Randall's Island. The eighth annual Governors Ball Music Festival features Eminem , Jack White, Travis Scott, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Halsey, N.E.R.D., Khalid, and many more.
- Belmont Stakes - June 7-9, 2018
- Billy Joel - June 2, 2018; MSG
See All: NYC Concerts Shows June
Back to Top of NYC Concerts Calendar
July New York City Shows and Concerts
- U2 - July 1, 2018; MSG
- Shania Twain - July 14, 2018;Barclays Center
- Taylor Swift - July 20-22, 2018; MSG
- Billy Joel - July 18; MSG
- Charlie Puth & Hailee Steinfeld - Radio City Music Hall
See All: NYC Concerts Shows July
Back to Top of NYC Concerts Calendar
August NYC Concerts and Shows
- Jay Z - Aug 2, 2018 - MetLife Stadium (NJ)
- Kenny Chesney - August 18, 2018 - MetLife Stadium (NJ)
- Jason Mraz - August 9, 2018 - Central Park Summerstage
- Billy Joel - Aug 23; MSG
- MSG - Smashing Pumpkins, Rod Stewart & Cyndi Lauper, Shakira, Jason Aldean
- Coney Island Boardwalk - TBD
See All: NYC Concerts Shows August
Back to Top of NYC Concerts
September NYC Concerts and Events
- Ed Sheeran - Sept 21-22, 2018; MetLife Stadium (NJ)
- Paul Simon - Sept 20-21, 2018; MSG
- The Meadows Music and Arts Festival - Jay Z, Red Hot Chili Peppers & The Gorillaz - TBD, Citi Field
- Billy Joel - Sept 30, 2018; MSG
- Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience - Sept 26, 2018, Prudential Center (NJ)
See All: NYC Concerts Shows September
Back to Top of NYC Concerts
Save $$ on New York Concert Tickets
- Ticket Liquidator Coupon - $10 off $250+ code WINTERTL
- Tickets Now - (official Ticketmaster company)
- SeatGeek - know EXACTLY where to sit with live 3-D views of every venue
Note: All of our ticket partners are legitimate, official, recommended ticket sellers and guaranteed to sell you official NYC Concert tickets.




