Sean Jamar for City Parks Foundation
Marcus Miller, Tank and the Bangas, The Soul Rebels at SummerStage
Enjoy free live music and performances in Central Park all summer long.
Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage returns in 2026 for its 40th annual season, continuing its tradition of showcasing both emerging talents and established artists while honoring the cultural diversity of New York City.
SummerStage runs from May to October each year, presenting over 80 free and ticketed performances annually across music, dance, and spoken word, and has hosted over seven million attendees and thousands of artists since its inception.
The festival has transformed from a local event into a citywide phenomenon, with performances in parks across all five boroughs of NY. This guide covers SummerStage at its Central Park flagship, Rumsey Playfield, located at East 71st Street and East Drive.
2026 SummerStage Programming
The 2026 SummerStage programming details are here. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates as additional shows are announced throughout the season.
SummerStage will feature a diverse mix of artists, including genres such as rock, pop, latin, hip-hop, groove, jazz, and more, with both free and ticketed events throughout the summer.
See this year's Central Park lineup below. Doors typically open one hour prior to most showtimes at SummerStage events.
May 30, 2026 | Dance Gavin Dance / The Fall of Troy / Wolf & Bear | Benefit Concert
June 6, 2026 | Of The Trees / Jade Cicada / Chmura / Snuffy | Benefit Concert
June 10, 2026 | OPENING NIGHT: Ledisi for Dinah / Spilata / DJ Kultured Child | FREE Concert
June 11, 2026 | Yellowcard / New Found Glory / Plain White T's | Benefit Concert
June 13, 2026 | The Martinez Brothers / Wakyin / Luna Mar | Benefit Concert
June 15, 2026 | The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital featuring Emily Pogorelc, Joshua Blue, Edward Nelson, and Dmitri Dover | FREE Concert
June 20, 2026 | Elderbrook / Tobiahs | Benefit Concert
June 22, 2026 | New York Sings Yiddish: Passing the Torch to a New Generation Featuring The Shvesters / YidLife Crisis / Yair Keydar / Riki Rose + More | FREE Concert
June 24, 2026 | Black Country, New Road / Horsegirl / Sharp Pins | FREE Concert
June 26, 2026 | Laurie Anderson: Republic of Love with Sexmob | FREE Concert
June 28, 2026 | Dreamland: Pride in Central Park with Purple Disco Machine / Kungs / Dani Brasil | Benefit Concert
July 1, 2026 | SHABAKA / Kokoroko / Omar / Lovie | FREE Concert
July 3, 2026 | Odd Mob | Benefit Concert
July 8, 2026 | Spoon / Ratboys / Bodega | FREE Concert
July 9, 2026 | Shaggy's Yaad Live | FREE Concert
July 10, 2026 | Nora En Pure presents PURIFIED | Benefit Concert
July 12, 2026 | Bastille Day: Black M / Laurent Voulzy / Legends of the 80’s / Michel Polnareff | FREE Concert
July 15, 2026 | Morocco: From Dakhla to Casablanca: Hoba Hoba Spirit / Hamid El Kasri Dakhla / Casa Xpress / Mr ID | FREE Concert
July 16, 2026 | Mavis Staples / Brother Wallace | FREE Concert
July 18, 2026 | Anjunadeep: Open Air New York City: Because of Art / Durante / Ezequiel Arias / James Grant & Jody Wisternoff / Marsh / Romain Garcia / SunrYse | Benefit Concert
July 22, 2026 | Complexions Contemporary Ballet / Paul Taylor Dance Company / LaTasha Barnes’ The Jazz Continuum | FREE Concert
July 23, 2026 | SOLD OUT: Yeat: The LOVE/LYFE Tour / Slayr / BNYX | Benefit Concert
July 25, 2026 | Maccabi House: Adam Ten and Mita Gami / Darco / Malive / Monobase | Benefit Concert
July 26, 2026 | Afro-Latinas: Susana Baca / Luedji Luna ft. Liniker / Lady G / Mai-Elka Prado ft. Lush Song Collective / DJ Agent DMZ | FREE Concert
July 29, 2026 | Julieta Venegas / Lasso / DJ Anamaria Sayre | FREE Concert
July 30, 2026 | UBB 40th Anniversary Celebration: BreakBeat Lou & Lord Finesse / Diamond D / Grand Puba / Sadat X / Nice & Smooth / Peter Gunz / DJ Boogie Blind | FREE Concert
August 1, 2026 | Trueno / Milo J / J Noa | FREE Concert
August 2, 2026 | WayV / THE EITHER / Chopstix | FREE Concert
August 6, 2026 | Andrew Bird with the Wordless Music Orchestra Perform 20th Anniversary of “The Mysterious Production of Eggs” | FREE Concert
August 7, 2026 | Funk Flex Birthday R&B Picnic: Jon B / Fonda Rae / Taana Gardner / Strafe / Dres From Blacksheep / DJ M U / Music by Funk Flex | FREE Concert
August 15, 2026 | Blues Traveler / Gin Blossoms / Spin Doctors | Benefit Concert
August 16, 2026 | Taiwanese Waves 10th Anniversary: 9m88 + ØZI + YELLOW / Chance Emerson / Mong Tong / Chinatown Records | FREE Concert
August 19, 2026 | Simple Plan / 3OH!3 / Bowling for Soup | Benefit Concert
August 23, 2026 | Angélique Kidjo / DJ Freshy K | FREE Concert
August 25, 2026 | Myles Smith: My Mess, My Heart, My Life Tour with Special Guest Michael Marcagi | Benefit Concert
September 2, 2026 | Verve 70th Anniversary: Christian McBride / Mei Semones & friends play the music of Getz/Gilberto | FREE Concert
September 10, 2026 | Dinner & Concert Honoring Joe Killian and Alex Blavatnik | Special Event
September 12, 2026 | Darling Blue PT2 Tour: Marcus King Band / Penelope Road | Benefit Concert
October 1, 2026 | The Age of the Ram Tour: Charley Crockett with special guests Durand Jones and the Indications | Benefit Concert
SummerStage Concerts at Rumsey Playfield
Many SummerStage performances take place at the Rumsey Playfield location in Central Park, with events running from May to October each year.
Rumsey Playfield is located at East 71st Street and East Drive, near the center of Central Park. The venue is open-air and surrounded by tree cover, which gives even the larger benefit shows a more intimate feel than you'd get at a traditional concert hall or arena.
Spring and early summer performances catch the park at its best, with the trees fully leafed out and the evenings staying light well into showtime. Night shows under the stars have their own quality, the stage lighting cutting through the dark and the surrounding park quiet enough that the music carries well beyond the venue gates.
Getting to the location is straightforward from most parts of the city. The 6 train stops at 68th Street, a short walk from the East Drive entrance, and the B and C trains stop at 72nd Street on the west side. Ride-share drop-off works well on 72nd Street or Central Park South depending on where in the city you're coming from.
Know Before You Go
Doors open one hour before most showtimes. The Central Park SummerStage location is general admission and standing, so arriving early gets you a better spot.
Bags and gear
- Bags must be 16" x 16" x 8" or smaller
- No coolers, folding chairs, or beach umbrellas
- No bikes, scooters, rollerblades, or skateboards
Food and drink
- No outside alcohol, glass bottles, or cans
- Beer and wine are available for purchase inside the venue
Camera and recording equipment
- No professional cameras, video equipment, or audio recording gear
- No selfie sticks or drones
- Press passes are available through the SummerStage website
Other items not allowed
- No balloons, laser pointers, or noisemakers (air horns, bullhorns, whistles)
- No dogs or other pets
- No controlled substances or weapons of any kind
- Still have questions? Visit the SummerStage FAQ page for more details.
Things to Do Before Summer Stage Shows
Rumsey Playfield is right in the middle of Central Park, which makes it easy to build a full afternoon or evening around a SummerStage concert. A few ways to make the most of it:
Take a Tour
Spend a couple of hours exploring Central Park on a bike, scooter, walking, carriage, or pedicab tour before the doors open.
Picnic in the Park
Grab food from one of the park's vendors or order a picnic delivery to a nearby lawn. The Great Lawn and Sheep Meadow are both close to Rumsey Playfield and tend to fill up on concert days, so arriving early helps.
Explore the Neighborhood
The area around East 71st Street puts you close to Bethesda Terrace, the Lake, and the Conservatory Garden. If you're coming from the east side, the Met is a five-minute walk from the park entrance.
Grab Dinner Nearby
There are good options for food both inside the park and along the surrounding streets on the Upper East and Upper West sides. Doors open an hour before showtime, so you have time to sit down somewhere before heading in.
About SummerStage
SummerStage was founded in 1986 and has become a significant cultural event in New York City, featuring performances that span various genres including world and American music, modern dance, spoken word, and electronic music.
The Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage Festival takes place from May to October, with performances held in Central Park and across all five boroughs of New York City. It includes a diverse lineup of musical styles such as salsa, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, indie rock, dance, opera, pop, and soul, featuring both world-renowned artists and up-and-coming musicians.
Over 40 years, Central Park audiences have seen everyone from Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, and Patti Smith to The Roots, Soccer Mommy, and The Driver Era, with neighborhood park shows extending that same energy into the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island.
New York's City Parks Foundation: Free Shows & Benefit Concerts
Most performances are free and open to the public, making City Parks Foundation SummerStage a vital cultural resource for New Yorkers and providing high-quality public art to the city at no cost. Some larger Mainstage shows are ticketed benefit concerts, and every ticket purchase helps fund the free programming running throughout the summer.
The festival has also shown its ability to adapt to cultural shifts, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic with its digital program, SummerStage Anywhere. City Parks Foundation hosts its annual gala at SummerStage each September, raising funds for year-round arts, sports, and education programs. To support SummerStage's free programming, consider becoming a City Parks Foundation member.