These Artists Will Headline Massive Free NYC Summer Concert Series

NEW YORK, NY— New York City’s Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage will celebrate its 40th anniversary this summer with more than 60 concerts and performances across Central Park and neighborhood parks in all five boroughs.

The season opens June 10 at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park with a free concert headlined by Ledisi as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival. The lineup also includes José James, Spilata and DJ Kultured Child.

The anniversary season stretches from May through October and mixes free concerts with ticketed benefit performances that help fund public programming.

Among the early-season shows, Dance Gavin Dance will headline a May 30 concert in Central Park alongside The Fall of Troy and Wolf & Bear.

Electronic music producer Of The Trees will perform June 6 with Jade Cicada, Chmura and Snuffy.

The pop-punk lineup arrives June 11 when Yellowcard brings its Up Up Down Down tour to Central Park with New Found Glory and Plain White T's.

Bronx-born house duo The Martinez Brothers will headline a June 13 benefit concert with support from Wakyin and Luna Mar.

SummerStage also continues its annual partnership with The Metropolitan Opera, bringing free recital performances to parks across the city. This year’s series includes appearances at Socrates Sculpture Park, Jackie Robinson Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park and Central Park.

The festival’s annual Charlie Parker Jazz Festival returns Aug. 28-30 with performances in Harlem and the East Village featuring Joshua Redman, Ravi Coltrane and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Benefit concerts scheduled later in the season include Blues Traveler with Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors on Aug. 15, Simple Plan with 3OH!3 and Bowling for Soup on Aug. 19, The Marcus King Band on Sept. 12 and Charley Crockett on Oct. 1.

Most SummerStage events remain free and open to the public. Ticketed benefit concerts in Central Park help support programming throughout the city’s park system.

For the complete lineup and ticket information, visit SummerStage.

SummerStage 2026 Lineup This Month

May 30

• Dance Gavin Dance with The Fall of Troy and Wolf & Bear
  Central Park, 6:30 p.m.
  Sacramento post-hardcore veterans bring their mix of metalcore, funk and pop after more than two decades on the road.

June 6

• Of The Trees with Jade Cicada, Chmura and Snuffy
  Central Park, 5:30 p.m.
  Bass producer Of The Trees brings a festival-style audio and visual set built around his concept album “Moonglade Park.”

June 10

• Ledisi for Dinah with José James and Spilata
  Central Park, free, 6 p.m.
  The Grammy-winning vocalist opens SummerStage’s 40th season with a tribute to jazz and R&B icon Dinah Washington.

• The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital
  Socrates Sculpture Park, free, 7 p.m.
  Emerging singers from the Met’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program perform a free outdoor recital in Queens.

June 11

• Yellowcard with New Found Glory and Plain White T's
  Central Park, 6 p.m.
  Early-2000s emo and pop-punk staples reunite for a nostalgia-heavy night led by “Ocean Avenue” hitmakers Yellowcard.

June 13

• The Martinez Brothers with Wakyin and Luna Mar
  Central Park, 6 p.m.
  Bronx-born house music duo The Martinez Brothers return home for a ticketed SummerStage benefit concert.

June 20

• Elderbrook with Tobiahs
  Central Park, 7 p.m.
  The Grammy-nominated electronic artist behind “Cola” brings his live multi-instrumental dance set to Central Park.