Concerts have long been a part of Central Park history and have funded many aspects to make it what it is today.
Philharmonic Photo Credit (above): Noise Addicts
Some of the most highly attended concerts in the history of Central Park are also some of the most highly attended in the history of concerts!
Simon & Garfunkel
Some couples were meant to get back together. Simon and Garfunkel resumed their rocky relationship for the second time in Central Park on Sept 19, 1981. The park had fallen into a severe state of disrepair in the 1970s, and the proceeds from this reunion were allocated to its redevelopment and maintenance.
You might be asking; how does a free concert have any proceeds? HBO broadcasted the performance, which was also released as the duo’s first live album: The Concert in Central Park. The city reaped about $51,000 in profits from merchandising, television and video rights. The crowd was estimated at 500,000.
Diana Ross
The Diana Ross free benefit concert was held on July 23, 1983. Proceeds from merchandise sales and 7.5 percent of the profits from the live telecast on Showtime were allocated to build Central Park’s first children’s playground.
However, the concert didn’t go as expected. About 25 minutes in the rain started pouring down. Miss Ross defiantly declared, “It took me a lifetime to get here, I’m not going anywhere.” So she stayed and sang in that downpour. Thirty minutes later, however, Ross made the decision on her own that the show had to end and would resume the following night.
Estimates of attendance range from 450,000-800,000, but this concert ended up being a financial catastrophe with a loss of over $2 million for the city between the cost of the two productions, the clean-up and the spate of crimes and rowdiness at the close of the concert the following night (171 people filed complaints, 83 were arrested and 41 were injured).
To ensure the construction of the playground, Ross wrote a personal check for $250,000, which was larger than the total amount of money raised from all Central Park concerts since 1967.
NY Philharmonic
After the crimes that closed the Diana Ross concert, Parks Commissioner Henry Stern banned concerts in Central Park that might attract violence. The next free large concert wasn't until three years later on July 5, 1986, when the park hosted the New York Philharmonic. They now often play free concerts in Central Park, but over 800,000 turned out that year to celebrate the rededication of the Statue of Liberty.
This concert produced the largest crowd ever for a classical music concert.
Garth Brooks with Billy Joel and Don McLean
Though the New York Philharmonic concert is generally credited as the largest in the park’s history, the New York City Fire Department would say that it’s a country boy who brought out the most attendees in this city. Garth Brooks took the stage in Central Park on August 7, 1997 with surprise guests Billy Joel and Don McLean, who joined in for an acoustic version of “American Pie.” In May of 1998, the New York Fire Department officially announced the final attendee numbers at 980,000.
Either Mr. Brooks has friends in high places, or his concert actually was the largest ever held in Central Park.
Come see what it's all about at one of this year’s concerts in Central Park!